street artist rone's haunting mural portraits breathe new life inside historic perth gallery

TIME • RONE Revitalizes Historic Centenary Galleries in Perth

In his latest exhibition, street artist Rone revitalizes Perth’s historic Centenary Galleries, which have been largely closed for nearly 20 years, with his haunting murals. Titled TIME • RONE, this immersive show spans 12 rooms across both floors of the venue, featuring large-scale portraits that blend with the abandoned environment, including the dust, cracked paint, and leftover furniture. The artwork is complemented by visuals and a soundscape created by composer Nick Batterham, weaving a multi-sensory exhibition. The display invites visitors to live in the present moment, experience the setting in their own unique way, and find beauty in decay.

‘TIME is an open-ended narrative – there’s no right or wrong way to experience the space, just trails that I hope visitors will pick up. People make their own story, and every person will experience it differently,’ shares Rone.

The Mail Room | all images © RONE 2024,  courtesy of the artist and The Art Gallery of Western Australia

Rone’s Immersive Debut at The Art Gallery of Western Australia

This is the first time that Rone exhibits at The Art Gallery of Western Australia (find more here) in the historical Centenary Galleries in a fully immersive public display. Visitors are invited to experience the space like never before, as they walk among remnants of mid-century Australia. The show blends large-scale murals with a soundscape and installations to evoke the passage of time, where peeling paint and cracked ceilings meet ghostly faces searching for meaning. Visitors are encouraged to reflect on what we leave behind and the forgotten aspects of history. ‘As a building, it is a perfect setting. It allows me to blur the lines between my artwork and the building so you can’t tell where the art stops and the building starts,’ says the Australian street artist. ‘Just to know there is a hidden space that no one has seen for years is so exciting.’ 

Part immersive art installation and sensory engagement, TIME will also include immersive dinners, a RONE store and a fully designed RONE-inspired bar space where visitors can linger amongst the art and dive into the RONE experience through several imaginative offerings. The exhibition is on view until September 30th, 2024. 

Rone, The Pharmacy

Rone, Switchboard Room

Rone, The Classroom

Rone, The Work Room

Rone, Typing Pool

Rone, The Library

Rone, The Clock Room

Rone, The Art Room

project info: 

name: TIME • RONE
artist: Rone | @r_o_n_e
location: Centenary Galleries, The Art Gallery of Western Australia | @artgallerywa in Perth, Australia
dates: June 28th – September 30th, 2024