MadWings and Murals That Lift Spirits
By Lucy Pearson
Can you tell us about the origins of MadWings? How did your collaboration come about, and what inspired the name?
Madwings combines Madison Gibbs Wing and Jason Wing. As an artist couple, we started our mural business four years ago, blending our complementary skills. We share a love for street art, social justice, and celebrating Aboriginal culture with joyful visibility.
Your work is deeply rooted in First Nations culture. How do you weave storytelling and traditional knowledge into your art and workshops?
Our art practice continues culture in a contemporary way. We consult local Elders, focus on public stories, and aim for cultural visibility. Researching mob, time, and place, we engage Traditional Owners, teach students, and weave bold, layered education into murals, blending historical and contemporary truths with vibrant imagery.
Newtown has a strong artistic and activist community. How does the area influence your artwork and in turn help you influence others?
We start with a walk on Country, listening and connecting. Our murals tell a visual story from start to finish. Working off Country, we consult Elders, visit significant sites, research histories, and continue the fight for justice, honoring those who came before us for future generations.
What role does public art play in telling First Nations stories?
Aboriginal people have no separate word for art; it was embedded in life. Traditional public artwork is now replaced by colonial landscapes. Murals address, educate, and celebrate. Public art must return to communities, ensuring Aboriginal and minority cultural presence equals or surpasses colonial visibility on Aboriginal land.
Your workshops cater to all ages, but you also offer First Nations-specific cultural workshops. What do these sessions involve, and why is cultural education so important?
We share our skills with all, as everyone has a story. Aboriginal voices have been silenced for 254 years, and art helps heal and shift perspectives. Public art is for everyone. We focus on cultural education, skill-sharing, and empowering diverse students, fostering future leaders and warriors.
Stencil and painting workshops are a big part of your practice. What draws you to these techniques, and how do they allow for creative expression in a community setting?
The oldest artwork is an Aboriginal hand stencil in Australia. Our murals modernize cave paintings, using spray paint instead of ochre. Inspired by Chinese paper cuts, stencils offer instant creative freedom and teachable techniques. We also run placard-making workshops for street protests in adult communities.
Art has long been a form of resistance and reclamation for First Nations people. How do you see your work contributing to that tradition?
Paint and spray-paint are protest tools. Murals reclaim space and ensure a public Aboriginal presence. Our murals, a subtle protest, inspire future generations. While our gallery works are hard-hitting, our murals focus on joy, positivity, and community building, which the world needs more of.
What have been some of the most rewarding or surprising moments in your workshops? Have any participant stories stayed with you?
We taught Jessie, an Aboriginal student, who developed her mural skills. She helped on a mural, impressed us, and we employed her until she started her own Aboriginal mural business. Now, she teaches students, adding murals and celebrating Aboriginal culture.
What’s next for MadWings? Are there any upcoming projects, exhibitions, or collaborations we should look out for?
This year, we're working on exciting projects: a mural near Sydenham Station, a basketball court with Blak Douglas in Green Square, a collaboration with Creature Creature in Ashfield, a Nespresso partnership, a survival memorial in Balmain, a new website, and exhibiting at Murrook Culture Centre on March 8.
Stay tuned for more @Madwings.murals
Online: https://madwings.org/
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