There’s a old local saying in Fitzroy: if the cops don’t clear a crashed car from the middle of the road, our artists will paint it gold as some kind of abstract social comment. It’s definitely a saying with a long and rich history. No, don’t look it up or ask any locals. It’s true.

But hey! It’s happened. Social media has documented the plight of a Toyota Camry that had – for reasons unknown to science or reason – slammed into a tree on the nature strip in North Fitzroy and was abandoned. Maybe it was stolen, or maybe it was the world’s laziest insurance fraud job.

Car 0 v Tree 1.

Someone being very silly in North Fitzroy. Hopefully no one hurt. pic.twitter.com/XeJltZStQh — Nicholas Reece (@Nicholas_Reece) October 16, 2016

The vehicle, which had been there as early as the 16th of October without being cleared by police or emergency services, has been turned into some kind of bespoke project by local artist(s) who have spraypainted the bastard gold. Look at this thing.

So @VictoriaPolice if a stolen car is left with no attempt to clear for a week the Fitzroy North artists will do what they do. #goldfinger pic.twitter.com/YNVXl94q2D — Kim (@KimAroundTown) October 23, 2016

There we go. Proof that Melbourne cannot see a simple crashed car without turning it into some kind of statement about consumerism, transience and the commodification of the self. Here in Sydney we would have stripped it for parts to sell on Gumtree.

Source: Twitter.

Photo: Twitter / @BillBainb.