More than 170 people attended the opening night of an exhibition transforming a grand Geelong Gallery reception room into an ode to beauty and decay.
The exhibition features the signature murals of Geelong born-and-bred street artist Tyrone Wright, best known as Rone.
“It was a big relief to finally have it open,” Rone said, following the event last Friday.
“The entire exhibition was postponed and almost cancelled due to this little pandemic thing.”
Rone grew up in Curlewis before working his “dream job” for a skate clothing brand in his 20s.
“My whole life revolved around skating for quite some time,” he said.
While travelling the world with that job, he would find local artists to collaborate with on public art projects.
He rose to prominence in 2010 following a worldwide “explosion of mural festivals”.
“They would fly you out, give you somewhere to stay and a wall to paint,” said Rone, now a father-of-one.
“I can’t just disappear on a little jaunt like that anymore.”
Rone has since worked with designers including Jean Paul Gaultier, had work acquired by the National Gallery of Australia and transformed streets and buildings worldwide.
He took on the specially-commissioned Geelong Gallery project “to do something international in Geelong”.
“I’m scared to count how many hours I put into it,” he laughed.
“I don’t think I want to know.”
The gallery expects the exhibition, running until May 16, to attract 20,000 people to Geelong.
“It’s about the contrast of beauty and decay, and treasuring something before it’s gone,” Rone said.
