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When presented with the opportunity to work with Brisbane Airport, Gus wanted to paint an authentic depiction of Brisbane, the way...
Have you seen the new splash of colour gracing travellers as they pass through Brisbane Airport's Domestic Terminal carpark? If you pass the car rentals area, it's hard to miss this multi-metre mural. Titled ‘Enoggera Reservoir’, this is some travellers’ first look at the enviably laid-back Brisbane lifestyle.
The piece was painted by Local Artist Tori-jay Mordey. A Meanjin/Brisbane-based illustrator and artist, Tori-jay was born on Thursday Island in the Torres Straight and descended from the Meriam and Maluyigal Clans. Tori-jay moved to Brisbane for University but branched off to pursue her passion for illustration and street art.
With humble beginnings as an illustrator of children’s books and posters, Tori-jay has grown to become a well-established artist painting for Vivid Sydney, Brisbane Festival, The Powerhouse and now Brisbane Airport.
Tori-jay’s passion for art was instilled by her mother, who she watched painting while growing up. This love of illustration saw Tori-jay drawn to picture books all through school and eventually, she became an illustrator herself.
“After finding illustration, I realised that I could also branch out and do more large-scale works and become a street artist for a living.”
The ‘Enoggera Reservoir’ mural was painted in cool pinks, purples and aqua hues; Tori-jays signature colour palette. Briefed by Brisbane Airport, she was asked to give travellers a taste of Meanjin/Brisbane right from the moment they leave the Domestic Terminal.
“My first thought went straight to the Enoggera Reservoir, a naturalistic swimming spot in Brisbane’s west, as it’s a place that I go to a lot with friends. It’s a very peaceful area and I love it for its nature so I thought it would be perfect to feature here at the airport as something peaceful to look at while the stress of life is kicking around.”
To make her work recognisable as a prominent Brisbane attraction, Tori-jay made sure to include real features you’d find at the Enoggera Reservoir in the mural. She incorporated lily pads, floaties marking the designated swimming area, natural foliage that surrounds the body of water and an iconic Brisbane waterbird.
Tori-jays’ First Nations heritage is also a source of inspiration for her work and her paintings. Her murals and illustrations typically include elements that paint a picture of human connection and explore her racial identity. This work is no exception.
“The main character is a female First Nation woman in the water enjoying nature. That’s kind of always been part of my style is having types of characters like that involved.”
Murals of this scale aren’t finished in a day – It took two weeks of painting to bring her vision to life. Throughout these two weeks, Tori-jay used multiple painting and mapping techniques. To ensure all the features in the mural were proportionate, she prepped the space using a popular street art technique called scribble-gridding.
“I started scribble gridding which is drawing random squiggles and shapes onto the wall and using these as reference points to overlay the design through my phone. Then I’d use my phone to help pencil everything onto the wall. Once I’ve done that and it’s sketched up, I put the colour in, and then do my favourite part – the line art.”
“While the process of it is quite long, I’m so happy with the end result of it and I’m so proud to have this here at the airport.”
Tori-jay intentionally used a bright colour palette when creating this piece, as these colours bring a sense of peace and calmness – the same feelings she gets when she visits the reservoir. She hopes to share this with the people of Brisbane and travellers.
“I hope when people see this mural, they feel a sense of relief and feel more connected with nature. But also in general, I hope it inspires people to be creative, branch out and pick up a brush.”
Besides inspiring a sense of peace and tranquillity, Tori-jay also hopes her work prompts passers-by to look up the ‘ressie’ and pay it a visit. Fancy a swim?
You’ll find the Enoggera Reservoir in Brisbane’s west at 60 Mt Nebo Road, The Gap 4061.
If you’ve enjoyed seeing Tori-jay’s art at the Brisbane Airport, we encourage you to check out her other works. You’ll find some of her work in the Brisbane Powerhouse, on the ‘S’ in the Brisbane sign located in South Bank, and at 62 Mary St in Brisbane’s CBD to name a few spots.
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