Well known Northern Rivers artist, musician and puppeteer Jimmy Willing is now living in a tent, having been evicted at short notice from the Joy Love Studio in North Lismore late last week.
The house containing his studio is set to be demolished by the NSW Reconstruction Authority today, although it has clearly fared much better from the floods than many buildings still standing vacant in Lismore.
Jimmy Willing was forced to remove all his artworks from the house immediately, despite the fact that he’s currently preparing for a major exhibition and rain was threatening to fall.
The community of Lismore has rallied around Mr Willing, with numerous placards appearing on the fence over the weekend, with black plastic erected to prevent people seeing what’s happening.
In a video interview with Tony Batchelor, Mr Willing said, ‘I am not homeless. I am still here on Lake Street, surrounded by family and friends. As for Jimmy Willing versus the State of New South Wales, this is only the beginning.
‘I am not going to be moved. I’ve lived here for thirty years. I’ve made a contribution to the community, like so many other people, and all of us, especially the artists, we deserve to live here, whether we are moneyed, whether we own land or not. We contribute, and the idea that we don’t and we are worthless, well I refute that. It disgusts me that we have been treated this way.
‘The next thing is to say to the people who are worried about me, I have grit and tenacity, and nobody needs to worry about this old man. But one of the reasons why I am prepared to stand up to the state of New South Wales is this: the person we should be worried about is the single mother who’s escaping domestic violence, who’s living in a car with her children, trying to send them to school every day in fear of the state removing her children from her.
‘These are the people who need a roof, and to have forced vacant possession and made hundreds upon hundreds of people in Lismore homeless, it is a disgrace. The state Labor government under Chris Minns are vandals and barbarians, and it is monstrous. The state Labor government are the butchers of Lismore, and it needs to stop,’ Mr Willing said.
‘Do not vote Labor in the next election. They are the very ones who sold Lismore out to the carpetbaggers.’
Demolition suspension request
Jimmy Willing’s supporters have lodged a formal request with the NSW Reconstruction Authority and Lismore City Council to immediately suspend all demolition and deconstruction works at Joy Love Gallery on 82 Lake Street, pending a site-specific review, disclosure of the decision-making basis and meaningful community consultation.
They say the gallery is an established, functioning cultural space, having attracted over 500 people for the last exhibition held there in September, ‘Strictly For The Birds’.
The gallery is named in honour of Joy Love, whose life was deeply intertwined with Lake Street.
‘Her family’s written account recalls the immense pride she took in the homes she helped build and her enduring connection to North Lismore, despite the many floods she experienced throughout her life.
‘Her family has expressed its appreciation that Jimmy Willing transformed the home into a gallery bearing her name.’
A petition initiated by Jimmy’s daughter Sally Willing has attracted more than 1,300 signatures in a few days, calling for the preservation of Joy Love Gallery, and for Jimmy Willing to remain at the property, noting that ‘Jimmy’s contribution to the gallery and the cultural life of the community is inseparable from its history.
‘His occupancy and the circumstances of his removal also raise separate matters that should be addressed directly with Jimmy, his family and legal representatives.’
The Echo has sought comment on the situation from Lismore MP, Minister for Recovery and Minister for the North Coast Janelle Saffin, who has so far not responded.
You can support the petition for Jimmy Willing here.
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