Popular artist Rone has left his mark on a community centre in Vanuatu.
While on holiday in the popular Pacific island location last month, the Melbourne artist and his friend Callum Preston came upon a big grey lacklustre building that was in need of some creative intervention, according to Rone.
He said that after gaining the go-ahead from community leaders, he bought some house paint and went to work on the building’s exterior walls to transform it into a village focal point.
Rone, 34, said that while he had painted numerous walls from Penang to Hollywood, the latest painting in Vanuatu was a highlight of his career because the local people were so appreciative, and it was truly something for the entire community.
Rone is one of the nation’s most recognised street artists and his work has been showcased in the National Gallery of Australia, as well as in promotional materials prepared by poster printing companies for art galleries around the nation.
‘The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk’ exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria also includes works by Rone.
Women’s faces in striking large-scale portraits have become his signature works. One such image featuring a local girl has been included on his latest wall painting in Vanuatu.
Rone has a busy year ahead, including a number of commissioned works to complete and a trip to Austin, Texas for the South By South West Festival, at which he is a special guest.
