Last week the Australian city of Melbourne installed concrete blocks around the CBD. The "anti-terror bollards" were put in place to stop vehicle attacks on pedestrians.
Fortifying Melbourne. Concrete bollards are being installed to protect the CBD's biggest attractions from terror at… https://t.co/ufXc4xzDym
In January this year six people were killed and several were injured after a car mounted the footpath in Melbourne's shopping district.
While not a terror attack, the alleged 26-year-old perpetrator, Dimitrious Gargasoulas, was charged with six counts of murder in March.
In response to the not-so-aesthetically pleasing bollards, Melbourne artist David Gray decided to turn the cubes into an art space.
"I did not want to make any fun of that, or take away the memory of people who were affected in January this year," Gray told ABC Radio Melbourne.
"The City of Melbourne could turn this into a fantastic art space, there [are] five panels [on each bollard] which artists could just cover with amazing temporary stuff."
And sure enough, colourful bollard coverings began popping up all over the city.
#Melbourne's bollard revolution begins. Someone has carefully measured this concrete abomination & lovingly sewn it… https://t.co/4ej6dQkpOz
Fantastic decorated #bollards at @SthCrossStation #Melbourne. Anyone feel like #yarnbombing some?
Ugly 80cm concrete #bollards at #SouthernCrossStation covered with #bollart. We need for 12mx4km #Skyrail 30cm from… https://t.co/nk3EGCaRJ4
Harlequin beauties at southern cross bourke st with their maker @TheHealthyBear Pics courtesy of the artist… https://t.co/jF98CqWbLh
And now people are trying out new ways to spice things up.
A stellar attempt at jazzing up a security bollard #melbourne ✨
The best one, by far, is this minimalist piece: Composition II - Embraced, 2017.
Faith restored in Melbourne - another bollard for you @han_francisco (corner Bourke/Swanston)
"In D'aniel Andrews' contemporary sculpture series 'Composition II', he explores what makes cities home to modern society," reads the description.
"In 'Embraced', Andrews juxtaposes the classic geometric structure of the cube with soft tones of grey beton and steel ornaments, symbolising the solid but veritable warmth and love the city holds for its people, despite it being the human nature to construct and socio-sexualise orgies of fear in the mainstream media."
"'Embraced' reminds us that regardless of what spontaneity is cast upon the city, the city suspends all tension in a phantasmagoria of stoic existence to preserve and re-birth the energy that is the carnival of lust for urban life."
Some people have reportedly been removing the art from the concrete bollards – but the City of Melbourne has distanced itself from the act of anti-artistic anarchists.
@GrantKTaylor Thanks for getting in touch. We're not removing the art from the bollards.