California Dreaming

When George was contacted by HK, she immediately did her research. According to HK, they build, protect and balance business value through their communications strategies. In this case, George was commissioned to create a mural that complemented the corporate colours of Taco Bell – both in the dining space and toilet entry.

This Taco Bell was the very first store in Melbourne. Doors officially opened at 10am on Saturday, 7 December 2019.

According to Rose, “The palm trees were a homage to California. The typography was a corporate slogan.” The slogan, Live más is meant to signify a move from the idea of ‘food as fuel’ – it simply means ‘Live more’. As in more fervently, more authentically, more joyfully... but definitely with more Taco Bell.

The hand-crafted typography was created to provide a human aspect to the crisp and moody sunset gradient in the background.

The colours were simply a reference to the Californian sunset, painted using Resene Lumbersider low sheen waterborne paint in Resene Adrenalin, Resene California, Resene Geronimo, Resene Governor Bay, Resene Studio and Resene White. According to Rose, “Resene has the brightest colour palette and works perfectly with my art practice, so it was a no brainer.”

This project is part of a body of work that won the Resene Total Colour Visual Art Award. The judges said "an incredible body of work, bold interpretations and colour palettes bring streetscapes and public spaces to life in a true celebration of colour and artistry. The works are so over scaled to suit each environment. With an underlying style, the art is reinvented with each brief so that each work truly shines on its own. Harnessing an enviable eye for colour, the colour palettes and proportions are beautifully and brilliantly intertwined."

Artist: George Rose
Artist representation: Eddie Zammit
Client: Hill+Knowlton Strategies (for Taco Bell)
Photographer: Holly Hawkins
Winner: Resene Total Colour Visual Art Award
Project: Resene Total Colour Awards 2020