These Melbourne street art masters have transformed a 3,500-square-metre entertainment space opening in Collins Arcade this January.
Dame Edna Place just got a major Melbourne street art makeover. Adnate’s large-scale portrait of Dame Edna Everage now dominates the laneway, part of a broader street art takeover happening inside Kingpin’s new entertainment venue.
Seven artists have created over 15 bespoke murals throughout the space, turning the Collins Arcade development into an unexpected gallery.
Melbourne-based street art collective Juddy Roller curated the artist lineup, bringing together local and international names to create works that explore the city’s layered identity. Adnate’s exterior Dame Edna piece celebrates Barry Humphries’ beloved alter ego and the suburban satire that helped define Melbourne’s cultural output for decades.
New Melbourne street art
- Where: Dame Edna Place and Lower Ground, 260 Collins Street (Collins Arcade)
- Artists: Adnate, Rosie Woods, Sofles, Nense, Lauren YS, Jay Kaes, Ellen Porteus
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Inside, the roster reads like a street art who’s who.
Sofles brings his signature mind-bending compositions from Brisbane. Nense contributes works that fuse Futurism and Abstract Art. UK-born, Melbourne-based Rosie Woods explores the intersection of abstraction and realism through dynamic geometric pieces. US-based Lauren YS adds surreal mythology-inspired murals, while Spanish-born Jay Kaes delivers vibrant Glitch Pop works. Melbourne’s own Ellen Porteus rounds out the collection with her colour-charged, cartoon-inflected maximalist style.
Each artist brings their own perspective to the space, from dreamlike urban landscapes to bold contemporary portraits. Adnate, one of Australia’s most celebrated street artists, uses monumental portraiture and spray paint to amplify stories of cultural identity. His Dame Edna piece truly captures the warmth and wit that made Humphries’ character resonate globally.
Working with Ignite Architects, the design merges industrial-luxe interiors with street art throughout the heritage-listed Collins Arcade building. More than a million people are expected to pass through annually once doors open in January, making this one of the more accessible street art collections in the CBD.
Juddy Roller’s curation spans artists from Germany, the UK, the US and Spain alongside Australian talent, creating a collection that feels both distinctly Melbourne and internationally connected. Whether visitors arrive for the entertainment offerings or specifically to see the art, the scale and quality of work on display represents a significant addition to Melbourne’s street art landscape.
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