The Yarraville identity at the centre of the Village Store mural controversy has spoken for the first time about his unwitting role in the saga.
Big Issue vendor Nigel, who was included in artwork by Yarraville street artist Heesco that Maribyrnong council later paid to be painted over, told Star Weekly he had mixed emotions about the fuss.
He said that while he was flattered to be included in the mural, he didn’t realise it was done without the prior approval of the council or the Village Store owners, who jointly funded the project.
“When they asked me if I would be included in the mural I was grateful,” Nigel said.
“But when I saw the ‘no paid parking’ message in it I hoped the council didn’t think I’d been part of that.”
The inclusion of a ‘No Paid Parking in Yarraville’ message in the mural raised the ire of the council, which painted over it and paid a signwriter an undisclosed sum to repaint the bulk of the mural.
“The artist said [the mural] was there as a reflection of what the community was thinking and that was no lie because it’s a big issue,” Nigel said.
“I went through mixed emotions … after they painted me out it was like I’d been obliterated. I think the mural grew on quite a few people and I read on the [Yarraville Village says no to paid parking] Facebook group on the day they painted over me that people were asking the council to save my picture.”
Nigel said he had no ill feeling about the matter and had given approval for his likeness to appear in a new mural by Heesco elsewhere in Yarraville, this time with council approval.
“They asked my permission on Wednesday,” he said.
“They’re going to get the same artist to do it and paint in a few more local identities.
“I was sort of the centre of the controversy but wasn’t really part of the controversy, which was kind of funny.”
