Kyle Hughes Odgers - Help is on the Way, 2010, aerosol paint on board, 200cm x 48830cm. Commissioned in 2010.

A full-circle moment.

As a graduate of Murdoch University in the year 2000 (Marketing and Media), it was surreal to walk through the campus once again, 23 years later, in 2023 with my daughter at the beginning of her university journey. As we walked past one of my old lecture theatres, she dutifully posed for a photo, standing in front of a section of a 47-metre mural painted by Kyle Hughes Odgers (who happens to be her uncle).

This artwork is deeply significant for both Kyle and me as it was created at a time of massive transition in both of our lives. Kyle had been working primarily as a street artist under the moniker 'creepy' and was beginning to shift into large-scale murals and studio work while redefining his style. I had been working in education for a few years but was beginning to pursue documentary filmmaking with a focus on the arts. It was then in 2010 that Kyle was approached by Murdoch University's art curator, Mark Stewart, to work on a series of seven works that would become known as “Help is on the Way”.

Since this series of work was going to be Kyle's largest project to date, he asked me to capture a behind-the-scenes film of the making of the largest mural in a factory in Kewdale. This, in itself, was a surreal experience, as it was to be painted in a factory owned by my uncle whom I had once worked for. I had left this family business to pursue a career in education five years earlier, on the day my daughter was born in 2005. It was a strange kind of homecoming working in this environment again, but in a completely different and unexpected context - another full-circle moment.

Kyle gave me full creative freedom to capture his process, and it was a joy to do so. Filming this project set the stage for my working style for the next decade, establishing a process of capturing not only the artist's process but also the essence of the place in which the work was taking place. The factory had some decommissioned old machinery that I suspect inspired some of the elements in the final artwork and proved very enjoyable to film in and around. For me personally, this project signified the start of a new direction and acted as a calling card that ultimately led to me leaving education and to working with hundreds of artists over the next thirteen years, capturing their processes and stories.

I also appreciate this mural because it marks a clear turning point in Kyle's style, featuring many of the characteristics inherent in his early street work with glimpses of the evolution that was to come. For me, however, this work derives much of its meaning from the larger context surrounding its creation. It was a time of great unknowns and new beginnings for both of us, and although it evokes a sense of uncertainty, it also offers clear hope, illustrating the interconnectedness of the characters depicted. Like many of the characters that appear in Kyle's work, we can find some comfort in knowing we are not alone in feeling alone and that there is always hope to be found amongst the chaos.

It's truly special to think about my daughter at the start of what is an uncertain and overwhelming part of her journey, to have a daily reminder on the walls at Murdoch of her connection to family and this place, and to know that she is not alone but is part of a much larger interconnected story and community.

About Chad Peacock

Chad Peacock graduated with a Bachelor of Marketing and the Media from Murdoch University in 2000.

As a passionate audio-visual creator Chad has taken his well-rounded skill set around the globe from commercial newsrooms, TVC productions, to documentary film productions. In recent year’s, Chad’s work has been featured on CNN, ABC, SBS and been exhibited in renowned cultural institutions such as Art Gallery of Western Australia, John Curtin Gallery and Fremantle Arts Centre.

Chad has developed close working relationships in the West Australian community working on landmark projects including the opening of Elizabeth Quay, the regional Silo Public Art project, and the Pilbara based indigenous exhibition Tracks We Share. Chad’s work has also been featured in a number of books and photographic competitions including The Golden Shopping Trolley Awards and Australian Institute of Photography Awards. Other achievements include directing the feature documentary Maybe it's Luck screened at Revelation film Festival and also being the recipient of a West Australian Music Industry Award.