Italian migration to Melbourne is being celebrated in a striking new mural on a wall in the inner city.

World renowned street artist Alice Pasquini is currently in Melbourne painting Per L’Australia on a 10x7m wall on Faraday Street in Carlton.

Ms Pasquini started her project on top of a cherry picker from the La Mama Theatre’s court yard last week and will have the artwork completed by early next week.

Rome-based Ms Pasquini’s painted walls are displayed in many cities around the world including New York, London, Rome, Singapore and other major cities in Russia, Vietnam, USA and South America.

But this unique Melbourne art work will be the first of its type to depict a story of Italian migration.

As contribution to the Italian Community, Ms Pasquini offered to paint an external wall of Italian welfare and education agency, CO.AS.IT which also houses the Museo Italiano, a museum dedicated to Italian culture and history in Australia.

“Per L’Australia is a mural which has been inspired from the vast collection of material from the CO.AS.IT Italian Historical Society and the Museo Italiano,” Ms Pasquini said.

“Getting onto the street and working on a wall allows an artist to be both donor and receiver: a public work is an artist’s gift to a city and every community is a wealth of ideas, emotions and memories,” she said.

CO.AS.IT CEO Giancarlo Martini-Piovano said the organisation jumped at the chance to celebrate Italina migration.

“When Ms. Pasquini approached us with the proposal of a mural which would represent the story of the Italian migration to Australia, we were enthusiastic and felt privileged,” Mr Martini-Piovani said.

“Her work will be an icon in the centre of Carlton and we are very pleased to transfer her gift to Carlton and the Victoria Community,” he said.

CO.AS.IT President Ms Rhonda Barro, together with the Board, fully endorsed the project.

Laurie Nowell
AMES Australia Senior Journalist