Sydney artist takes on lockout-loving Premier
'Casino Mike' in all his glory is on show on Chippen Lane
A red wine guzzling, kebab eating, poker hustling depiction of lockout-loving New South Wales Premier Mike Baird is the latest piece of street art to grace Sydney's laneways.
Artist Scott Marsh's new work shows "Casino Mike" (dubbed such for the exclusion of the city's casinos from the lockout law affected zone) enjoying Sydney on a level not many others can after 1.30am, due to the restrictions imposed on bars and clubs. Knocking back a bottle of Penfolds Grange, the $3000-per-bottle wine that ended the career of former Premier Barry O'Farrell, who introduced the 1.30am lockouts and 3am last drinks laws in 2014, when he failed to declare it as a gift from a businessman, Baird looks to be having a great time.
Perhaps it's down to that kebab he's eating. The City of Sydney began to crack down on late-night food traders in Newtown, outside the lockout zone, who were serving post-club food after midnight without a licence to do so earlier this year. Baird posted a video on Facebook of him getting a taste of "the best kebab in Bethlehem" on a recent trip to Israel in an attempt to seem relatable, but commenters just lamented all the kebabs they could no longer enjoy after a big night out due to the lockouts.
Marsh's painting of Kanye West making out with himself made headlines recently when Yeezy requested he paint over it and Marsh claimed he was paid $100,000 to make it happen.
Let's hope this one sticks around a bit longer.
Scott Carbines is Mixmag's Australian Digital Content Editor, follow him on Twitter [Image: Cole Bennetts, Getty]