Hidden in the heart of Melbourne’s iconic laneways, nestled between Japanese bakeries and buzzing Asian eateries, is Jaz’s hand-painted mural and immersive installation in Drewery Alley, Melbourne CBD.
This permanent public installation reimagines the urban alley as a neo-shrine, a space that honours ancestry while embracing a mythical, global spirit drawn from diverse cultures, beliefs, and religions.
Rooted in Jaz’s Chinese heritage, the mural is a vivid fusion of personal memory and cultural storytelling and travels: ghost stories from childhood, ancestral reverence, the quiet stillness of remote Japanese onsens, and the vibrant palette of India.
Commissioned and funded by The City of Melbourne, the installation comes to life every evening from 7–10pm, with flickering flames and neon accents casting an otherworldly glow that transforms the alley.
ANCESTRAL WORSHIP
Many thanks to The City of Melbourne for funding this dream project, Opto and Additive Lighting for meeting all of my lighting demands, the fantastic team who assisted me on this, my producers Emily Sweeney and Linda Catalano and the Traditional Owners of the land on which this installation is created on.