CMAA Award Winning Documentary Screens in Germany

Winner of CMAA's 'Compelling Content - Screen Media Award' in 2023, Richard Attieh's Documentary, Written in Chalk: the echo of Arthur Stace, is one of only eight films from around the world, and the only feature length film from Australia to screen at the Art and Place Conference in Germany from 1-4 May.

The Art and Place Conference is hosted by the History Museum Saar and the HBKsaar Fine Arts University, produced by the cultural arts agency, Unlock Bureau and WissensArt Foundation, and supported by Saarland University of Applied Sciences, Kino Achteinhalb, Filmhaus Saarbrücken and Völklinger Hütte.

Written in Chalk was invited to be screened at Art and Place by Conference Director, Javier Abarca.  This will be the international premiere of the film.

“I have been a professional researcher of graffiti and street art for 20 years,” says Javier.  “I found about Arthur Stace many years ago.  It is probably the most fascinating case I know about in my field.”

Javier published an article about Mr Eternity (Arthur Stace) in 2008 and has long wanted to screen a film about the grandfather of street art in Europe.  The film will be screened at the Saarbrücken arthouse cinema called Achteinhalb on Friday 2 May.

Producer and director of Written in Chalk, Richard Attieh, will attend Art and Place Conference and has been invited to introduce the film, and join on a panel discussion with internationally recognised street art commentators and advocates, Susan Hansen, Thomas Roske, and KP Fugel, discussing Outside Artists in Public Space.

“It is fitting for the international premiere of this film to be at one of the world’s leading street art conferences,” says Richard.  “It is also a wonderful continuation of Arthur Stace’s evangelical work.”

“Arthur Stace would not have called himself a street artist, but the recognition of his writing Eternity over 500 000 times for over 35 years has opened many doors to share his message.”

Arthur Stace is internationally regarded as the founder or grandfather of street art, and his ETERNITY artwork is weaved into the fabric of Sydney’s recent history and identity.

Written in Chalk: the echo of Arthur Stace in an independent Australian documentary produced with the support of CreateNSW, the Royal Australian Historical Society, NSW and ACT Baptist Association, HammondCare, and Christian philanthropists.

The film looks at how the word ETERNITY continues to have a presence in Sydney and around Australia since it famously appeared on the Sydney Harbour Bridge at the Millennium Fireworks and again the opening ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

“Eternity provides a lens through which we can understand Sydney and Australia’s recent history,” says Richard.

Arthur Stace and Eternity preacher, John Ridley, share the gospel in the film using archival recordings, and Arthur’s Christian mission is made clear in interviews with Ruth Ridley, John’s daughter, Steve Bartlett, the Directors of Ministries at the NSW and ACT Baptist Association, and Roy Williams and Elizabeth Meyers, authors of the Mr Eternity book.

The film spans the 90 year history of the Eternity artwork from 1932 to 2022, and looks at how news outlets, writers, artists, poets, songwriters, restaurateurs, politicians, and storytellers have used, interpreted and re-interpreted the word, and includes the last public interview with Ignatius Jones – who famously wrote Eternity on the Sydney Harbour Bridge on 1 January 2000.

Written in Chalk: the echo of Arthur Stace also includes interviews with Ric Birch, who included a re-creation of the celebrations on the opening ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, Eddie McGuire, who hosted the Channel 9 telecast of the Millennium celebrations, Frank Sartor, the Lord Mayor of Sydney who approved the Eternity artwork, and broad cross section of others who are connected Arthur Stace and the Eternity story.

At the Art and Place Conference in Germany, the focus of the film will be the impact Arthur Stace and the Eternity story plays in the international street art and graffiti world.

“I am looking forward to seeing how the street art community who hold Arthur Stace in high esteem, respond to this iconic Sydney and Australian story,” says Richard.

More information about the film and screening:

·    Written in Chalk: the echo of Arthur Stace website - www.writteninchalk.com

·    Art and Place Conference website – https://art-and-place.com/