Acland Precinct’s Hidden Treasures
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Acland Precinct has an eye-catching collection of street art and murals, yet inside some of its shops and eateries are hidden treasures, including some Mirka Mora artworks, that may have escaped your notice.
Read on for where to find these concealed gems:
Readings
122 Acland Street
When Mirka Mora first moved to St Kilda, she loved going to Acland Street. She was a regular visitor to Cosmos (now Readings) and the owners commissioned Mirka to paint a mural on the round column near the entrance.
Cicciolina
130 Acland Street
Cicciolina was one of Mirka Mora’s favourite lunch spots. On the restaurant wall is a portrait of fellow artist Joy Hester by Mirka. It was gifted to Sweeney Reed, Joy’s son and later purchased by the owners of Cicciolina. Also pictured is a menu that Mirka decorated with a drawing and a dedication to co-owner Barbara Dight.
Claypots
213 Barclay Street
Just around the corner from Acland Street Plaza is St Kilda’s renowned seafood restaurant, meeting place and music venue. The gothic sculptures at the front are by James Cattell and Dorelle Davidson (aka Honeyweather and Speight), whose work is found throughout Melbourne, including the Fairy Garden in Veg Out. The beautiful terracotta mural was seeded by a single ancient Mediterranean tile, collected by the original owner (Renan Goksin). The blackboard menu changes daily.
Johnny's (Surabaya Johnny’s)
47 Blessington Street
Pop across the road to Blessington Street and peek inside Surabaya Johnny’s bar and music venue. Funky and fun, there’s lots to see. The cartoon art Greetings from Surabaya, by local artist Fred Negro, depicts some of Johnny’s patrons and performers.
Lady of St Kilda
Corner of Smith and Barkly Streets
The Lady of St Kilda restaurant has a replica of the trading schooner that washed up on St Kilda beach in 1841, and from which St Kilda is named.
Man's Ruin Tattoo
27 Carlisle Street – opposite the National Theatre
It’s worth the short stroll to Carlisle Street to see Man’s Ruin. The door itself is a work of art. Beyond, apart from the incredible works-on-skin, is an eclectic collection of works on the wall, full of iconography, myths and symbols as befitting a tattoo palace and curated by one of the veritable tattoo artists, Lydia Pavlou.
About the author: Fiona Drury is a corporate writer and editor who has lived, worked and shopped (almost exclusively) in St Kilda since emigrating from England in 1988.
About the photographer: Jeffrey Diamond is a local artist who has lived, worked, dined and caroused in St Kilda since 1980, always with camera in hand.
