blender
studios
About Us
The Blender Studios Laneway
From the time the Blender first opened its doors. The lane way next to the Blender has slowly transformed into one of Melbourne's best stencil and graffiti walls. As artist cut stencils, they need to put them up. And over the last 8 years the wall has been preserved and is still in great condition.
Art at the Blender
Many artists from the Blender have achieved great success in their research and practice.
There has always been a heavy research influence at the Blender. Their is a lot of discussions and constructive criticism.
Over the years there has been many Blender artists working in a variety of mediums, that have achieved major critical success.
In early 2004 the Blender closed and in 2007 The Blender re-opened in the same place.
The climate of the Australian art scene had changed and as the Blender re-opened its doors it was clear that the Blender was also going to be different.
We still have a strong link to street art with some of the most famous and prolific street artists calling the Blender home.
The Blender has changed now it has become more of an art complex with 15 studios an artist in residence program, the Blender laneway street art project, The Melbourne Propaganda Window, Michael Koro Galleries and The Melbourne street tours.
Street Art
In 2002 the Blender Studios became a major centre for the emerging Melbourne street art scene.
As the USA invaded Iraq, so too, did many of the Blender artists, invade the streets of Melbourne.
It was the hub of the street art movement with many of the most prolific street artists either calling the Blender home or using it as a base to colour in the city.
Street artist who have been closely associated with the Blender Studios.
Nu-Rock
Vexta
PRIZM
Reka
HA-HA
Psalm
Civil
Rone
Drew Funk
DLUX
Makatron
Tom Bone
Six Ten
ALONE
PHIBS
Reks
LIster
70K
The street scene grew quickly. It was constantly transforming, as people experimented with different images, locations, technology and mediums.
Sometimes there would be as many as 30 people all heading out at the same time, to all different places. Do do a variety of artwork.
We had about 20 artists at the Blender back then, about half were street artists. The influence that the research artists at the Blender had on the street movement was extraordinary. Street artists began to consider context, form and concept. Street art afforded the other artists at the Blender a chance to play with an immediate and ephemeral art form and many made the move to the street, there was a real blend.
In 2003 the first stencil gallery was opened up: Early Independent Space
This was ran above Kent Street cafe in Smith street by Blender artists, Regan Tamanui and Dan Sibley.
This art space gave many successful artists there first break and was closely linked to the Blender.
