Mapping Connection in Fitzroy North

‘Convergence’ - Lisa Waup (First Nations artist)

Public Art

North Fitzroy, Victoria

  • Art & Cultural Strategy

    Public Art Delivery

    Documentation & Videography

    End-to-End Project Management

  • Public Art

  • Lisa Waup

  • Est.

    Apparition Media

  • Nicole Reed - artwork photography

    Fred Kroh - artist portrait

 

Country and community converge in a new landmark First Nations mural in North Fitzroy

Our Role

As the appointed public art consultants and curators for Fitzroy & Co., WRAP worked with with client Est. Rentals to develop and deliver a comprehensive public art strategy and artwork for a major mixed-use residential development in Fitzroy North, creating a landmark artwork that reflects the cultural, environmental and community narratives embedded within the site.

Working with the client, local Council, the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation and First Nations artist Lisa Waup, WRAP led the development of a public art vision that sought to acknowledge the enduring presence of First Peoples, celebrate connection to Country and create a meaningful cultural marker within the evolving urban landscape.

Our role encompassed the development of the public art strategy, artist engagement and commissioning, stakeholder consultation, planning and development approval processes, design development, artwork translation, fabrication oversight and final installation. Throughout the project, WRAP acted as the bridge between artist, client, community and government stakeholders, ensuring the artistic vision remained central while successfully navigating the complexities of delivery.

The Result

The resulting large-scale mural by Lisa Waup transforms the building facade into a powerful expression of connection. Through her signature monochromatic linework and layered visual language, Waup draws together narratives of Country, community and belonging, acknowledging the histories that have shaped this place while also speaking to its future.

Visible across the Fitzroy North skyline, the artwork reflects the convergence of natural and urban environments, the gathering of diverse communities and the ongoing relationships between people and place. More than a public artwork, it serves as a cultural marker—one that celebrates First Nations storytelling, fosters connection and contributes to a deeper sense of identity within the precinct.

Today, the work stands as a defining feature of the development and a lasting contribution to the public realm, demonstrating the capacity of art to create meaningful connections between history, culture, community and contemporary city-making.




→ WATCH



→ ARTIST/S

Lisa Waup

Lisa Waup, a mixed cultural First Nations artist and maker renowned for her layered visual language of weaving, mapping and cultural storytelling was nominated through a competitive concepting round.

Responding to Waup’s deeply personal practice rooted in identity, Country and storytelling, the mural expands on themes of connection, Country and community. Here, circular forms speak to histories of family and community, connective linework symbolising pathways of connection and gathering, not only in terms of the area’s significant for First Peoples but within the broader context of the Est. development.

Waup’s mural unfolds across the building’s western façade, its circular forms and interwoven motifs offering a contemporary expression of deep time — tracking movement, memory and belonging across generations.

This project reflects our studio’s belief that public art should be more than a decorative gesture — it should be a site of exchange, anchored in care, context, and community. Through this work, Fitzroy & Co. is gifted with a powerful cultural marker — one that honours the ongoing presence of First Peoples and uplifts the voices of contemporary First Nations artists.

It acts not only as a cultural marker but also a gentle beacon — reminding passersby of the layers of belonging embedded in Country and our shared responsibility to our communities and one another.


→ Explore more of WRAP’s projects

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