A street art tribute to the victims of the Hillcrest Primary School tragedy sprung up in Launceston within 48 hours of the tragedy first unfolding.
The visceral, and now synonymous, visual art of a fractured map of Tasmania bearing a broken red heart that has come to represent the devastation felt about the tragedy was painted on a wall at Royal Park.
Launceston street artist James Cowan, known by his art pseudonym Kreamart, was responsible for the tribute, something he had started planned on Friday morning.
"First thing Friday morning I knew I was going to do it," he said.
"I had to do something. I just really had to."
Cowan started painting the mural about 6pm on Friday night and continued into the darkness of night.
As the light began to dwindle, Cowan said he thought he was going to have to pack up for the night and continued the next day, but a passerby stopped past and offered to hold up a torch to help him push on until 9.30pm.
The fractured Tasmania graphic was designed by Sam Mizzi as a way of showing respect for the five victims of the jumping castle tragedy.
Following it being first designed the broken heart fast became a symbol of the Hillcrest tragedy. Within hours it was plastered on social media and set as profile pictures as the community grappled with the fact a gust of wind had resulted in the death of five children.
Cowan said he received several messages from members of the community urging him to put something together to honour the victims.
He said he was especially deeply hit by the news of the tragedy following a year working closely with Launceston schools.
"Working with the schools and youth this year ... it made me consider, 'what if it had been the kids I had just painted and talked with throughout the year?'," Cowan said.
With the paint only just having dried on the initial tribute, Cowan said he was offering his services to the North-West coast and anyone who thought they might have space for their own mural.
"Now I've done that one, if there's anyone in Devonport or near Hillcrest or anyone that has space for one and wants it done, I'm keen to help out," he said.
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