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Mural anger - Star News Group - Shire of Yarra Ranges
http://www.starnewsgroup.com.au/story/79857
Mural anger - Star News Group - Shire of Yarra Ranges
MT EVELYN residents are calling for a mural, they believe has drugs references, to be removed.
Shire of Yarra Ranges councillors Tim Heenan and Terry Avery and local artist Franc Smith have joined forces in calling for the artwork to be removed.
The mural was painted on an external wall of the Morrison House Youth Shed in Wray Crescent, as part of a school holiday program.
It features two pink elephants, a number of green men, a road runner and the word ‘fresh’.
Councillor Tim Heenan slammed the mural after being told by a local teenager it had direct links to drugs.
Cr Heenan said many people were unaware of its meaning.
He was approached by the youth several weeks ago who told him all the adults in the town had become a laughing stock.
“I was told it had direct references to drugs and we didn’t even realise,” Cr Heenan said.
According to the American website of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the pink elephants are a reference to alcohol or the drug PCP or angel dust.
The green men or greenie are linked to amphetamines such as MDMA or marijuana.
The word fresh is the street name for PCP and the roadrunner usually means someone who sells drugs for others.
“This is total unadulterated rubbish on the side of one of the buildings in Mt Evelyn and should be removed,” Cr Heenan said. “This is a subliminal message for our young people to get involved in recreational drugs.”
Melba Ward councillor and Lilydale police officer, Sergeant Terry Avery said it was very disturbing to see drugs being promoted in such a light hearted manner.
“It’s a big worry to police especially as it was done in such a way that people of our generation are unable to interpret it,” he said.
But Morrison House CEO Jan Simmonds said the project had not been drug related in any way.
Ms Simmonds is now seeking expert advice on the mural to find out its true meaning.
“There are many different meanings for things,” she said.
Mr Smith said there had been a lot of people shocked by the mural.
Mr Smith believes the mural ‘legal street art’ was nothing more than a bad display of vandalism.
He said it was a waste of time and money and should be removed.
Mr Smith said he was also concerned that the mural was done as part of a VCAL course and he would oppose the group doing any other murals in the town.
http://www.starnewsgroup.com.au/story/79857