Created across several weeks in late March and early April, as a celebration of Pride Month, Te Pūrakau ā Tiki rāua ko Tūtānekai – The Story of Tiki and Tūtānekai was designed and conceived by artist River Jayden (Ngāti Tahu – Ngāti Whaoa, Ngāti Maniapoto), and executed by Jayden with support from a small group of local takatāpui rangatahi.
The work forms part of the existing collection of artworks enlivening the hoardings along Worcester Bouvelard that frame Te Matatiki Toi Ora – The Arts Centre – joining murals by Mr G, Monti Masiu and Kophie Su’a-Hulsbosch that provide a spectrum of narratives around culture and identity.
Jayden’s work features sprawling multi-coloured kōwhaiwhai on either side of a lively manaia character and hand-painted text reading Te pūrākau ā Tiki rāua ko Tūtanekai (The story of Tiki and Tūtānekai) to the left, and “Ka mate ahau I te aroha ki toku hoa, ki a Tiki” – Tūtānekai’s declaration that “I am stricken with love for my friend, for Tiki” to the right.
The work illuminates the often-obscured narrative of the love between Tūtānekai and his male companion Tiki. A celebration of rainbow and takatāpui identity, and a challenge to “colonial narratives from the 1800s—a time when missionaries and settlers tried to strip us of our mātauranga, our ways of being, and our expressions of love and identity.” Jayden explains that the work centres Māori identity and “our diverse expressions of sexuality—something that was once natural and visible within our communities.”
Jayden reasons that this story has been overshadowed by the relationship between Tūtānekai and Hinemoa: “this part of the story was silenced under the pressures of Christian missionary influence and colonisation. Yet takatāpui identities have always existed in te ao Māori. They live in our whakapapa, our whakairo, our mōteatea—woven into the fabric of who we are.”
Jayden’s work is an act of reclaiming stories and space, and in Te pūrākau ā Tiki rāua ko Tūtanekai, the narrative is reinforced by the juxtaposition against the neo-gothic architecture, a reminder of Ōtautahi’s ongoing reconciliation of its bi-cultural identity and history post-quake.
Te pūrākau ā Tiki rāua ko Tūtanekaiwas made possible with support from Te Matatiki Toi Ora – The Arts Centre, Watch This Space, Flare Ōtautahi Street Art Festival, the Christchurch City Council, Dulux Paints, Moana Vā, Qtopia, and InsideOut.
With the upcoming refresh of the three ‘permanent’ art cans at the St Asaph Street Giant Spray Cans site, we have been thinking a lot about these unique surfaces and their evolving appearance. While the three cans to the west serve as commissioned installations, with a revolving roster of artists and crews decorating the cylindrical forms, the other three cans, situated to the middle of the space (closer to the basketball court) are a type of legal wall space, an open source option for people to adorn with markings and makings of all kinds. The impact of each set can be strikingly different. The cohesive ‘permanent’ designs serve as aspirational inspiration, but the more haphazard patina of the ‘legal wall’ cans can be equally as interesting – from signals of presence to gestating visual ideas, the cacophony of tags, handwritten messages, characters, patterns and icons are a wide gamut that becomes a thick layer of paint. The legal cans change as quickly as the weather in Ōtautahi, new chapters are constantly added. So we decided to put some of our favourite finds from the history of these iconic cans together (from both their current location and the previous Lichfield Street setting). The selection of images here features local talent from Ōtautahi and artists who have visited the city and left their mark on the metal surfaces. Some examples form part of initiatives and projects, others were created independently, but in each case, they are examples of how the unique approach offered by the Giant Cans affords a space for creative and restless energy to manifest… The outward appearance of the cans is chaotic – intentionally so, because they represent the multiplicity of voices in any city – when they change constantly, they are simply a reflection of our shared landscape. So, while many of these examples have disappeared under fresh layers, that is exactly how it should be – after all, a city never stops…
Dcypher x IkarusDcypherDcypherJessie RawcliffeEm WaferDcypherRubble CityChile OneBolsM+HNick LowryEdo RathPaul X WalshPestoSafe KasperDTR X Ikarus
We are stoked to bring you the newest entry to our growing playlist! We reached out to 2024 Little Street Art Festival artist Klaudia Bartos to find out what music inspires her creativity and keeps her going in the studio. As the multi-talented artist explains, much like her wide-ranging approach to visual art, her musical tastes are also varied: “There are so many different genres of music I like that I could never pick a favourite- especially while making art!” So, what songs will Klaudia never skip and what might we find her listening to as she creates the paintings, prints, sculptures and everything in between that we have come to love? Read on to find out!
Tiesto – Adagio for Strings
This is a classic for me. I heard it a lot growing up, so it has a super super nostalgic vibe for me. Kinda sad but up beat- I love it!
Foreigner – Waiting for a Girl Like You
Just a guilty pleasure song – it’s moody and I love it…
Q Lazzarus – Goodbye Horses
I mean, what can I say? It’s a bloody banger…
Guns N’ Roses – This I Love
Mid painting and this comes on… It pushes me through to the end. I might even replay it, hahaha…
Nirvana – Where Did You Sleep Last Night
Linkin Park – Breaking the Habit
I would have added a whole album of Linkin Park to this list if I could, but let’s just go with this one. RIP CHESTER
Phil Collins – A Groovy Kind of Love
My Mum used to listen to Phil Collins all the time when I was growing up and it stuck with me. I kinda just love sad sounding songs I guess!
Rainbow – Rainbow Eyes
Soft singing Dio, guitar, melancholy – lovely!!!!
Robert Miles – Children
This song always makes me think of Dad
Ayla – Ayla (Taucher Remix)
To be honest, I’ve gotta have a good mix of trance to keep me going…
Mexico is a hotbed of colourful culture – from the heritage of Aztec history, the muralist movement, the folkloric expressions, energetic graffiti and more recently, the emergence of a contemporary mural style infused with all of these influences…
Mexico is a hotbed of colourful culture – from the heritage of Aztec history, the muralist movement, the folkloric expressions, energetic graffiti and more recently, the emergence of a contemporary mural style infused with all of these influences… Last year we were lucky enough to spend some time in Mexico, visiting Mexico City and Puerto Vallarta and capturing some arty goodness. It can’t be understated how massive Mexico City is, bustling and colourful, the juxtaposition of traditional graffiti, fun street art, murals and public art a reflection of the city’s diversity. With only a couple of days to explore, much of the art we found was in the Condesa area where we stayed, but we also were able to witness a huge amount of art as we travelled outside the city to the impressive pyramids of Teotihuacán, murals, slogan typography and of course the frescoes of the ancient Aztec city itself. Puerto Vallarta is renowned as a bright, vibrant destination, and the collection of murals throughout the city most certainly adds to that profile – often displaying elements of local culture and history…
It’s impossible to not read this Radiohead lyric in a certain cadence… Mexico CityPaste up, Mexico CitySlaps ahoy (and a familiar name), Mexico CityVirgin Mary stencil, Mexico CityJuvenal wood block paste up, Mexico CityMexico CityXolotl paste up, Mexico CityHelio-One stencil, Mexico CityMexico CityMortal enemies stare off… Mexico CityCat throwie character, Mexico CityDScreet Have you ever seen the rain??? Mexico CityPixel Vandals Mario mosaic, Mexico CityMexico CityPuerto VallartaQvetzal Puerto VallartaPuerto VallartaPuerto VallartaTony Collantez, Puerto Vallarta
Where will our next Postcard come from? Stay tuned!
We love @larraman’s time lapse of Jacob Yikes’ massive mural on the Distinction for Flare Ōtautahi Street Art Festival – an insight into the work that goes into such a huge undertaking! Thanks to ChristchurchNZ and @larraman for this incredible footage – and to Flare and Yikes for the vision! Tallest mural in Aotearoa? Completed it mate!
Stay tuned for more Flare Ōtautahi Street Art Festival recaps!
Watch This Space was proud to host the 2025 artist panel discussion for the Flare Ōtautahi Street Art Festival. Joined onstage by Haser, Fluro, Berst, Jessie Rawcliffe and Ling, the conversation ranged from cultural influences and connection to place, to graffiti’s lineage, the differences between Melbourne and Ōtautahi and when Ling will finally paint a portrait of Berst! Hosted at Dux Central, the event capped a massive week for the artists and organisers of the Flare Festival. Luckily, in case you missed it, we recorded the event and you can watch it below!
Thanks to Corban Tupou for hosting the live stream and Local Elements for working the sound! We are already looking forward to 2026!
The latest Spotlight work to illuminate the Gloucester Street side of Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre is a warm, inviting scene created by local artist Iva Anjani. Further exploring the possibilities of the projected animation format, Anjani’s peaceful domestic scene was created by hand, stitching together up-cycled materials to compile the image. A painstaking process, the work is imbued with care and exudes a sense of serenity, a reminder of those places where we can find sanctuary. With the scene brought to subtle life through the wizardry of Immersive Reality’s Nick Keyse, Anjani’s work provides a soft contrast to the urban surrounding, a window of calm to contemplate. As Anjani’s first public artwork, we took the opportunity to talk to the artist about her experiences and reflections as her vision came to life…
Hi Iva – can you introduce yourself?
Hello! I’m Iva and I honestly never know how to answer these kinds of questions. I’m just a girl who picked up a new hobby during the lock-downs and ran with that. I’m Indonesian, I love spicy food, and I can’t swim.
What was your initial response to the Spotlight project and how it might work for your creative process?
I want to say, first of all, that I was really surprised when I was even approached to do this project because I’m not an artist by trade. So, I guess that means I didn’t already have a “creative process”. I looked at all the previous artists featured in the project and it got me shaking in my boots! Everyone featured were all such established Ōtautahi artists with distinct styles, and their Spotlight artwork were all thoughtful and clever. But I was determined to step up to the occasion. I’ve been sharing stuff I make online for as long as I can remember so I just approached this the same way. Except people on the street can see it and not a small number of people online curated by me and the algorithm… yikes!
Anyway, the Spotlight project is awesome because it’s so unique but it doesn’t get hindered by the style or medium of the artist. I didn’t have to do anything differently. I planned the design, check to make sure it would look nice when viewed from afar, and got straight to cutting and sewing.
As your first large public work, what challenges did the process throw up?
Everything was a bit challenging. It was technically very laborious. I sew clothes mainly and I’ve done small embroidery or applique projects, but this was bigger and ironically with tinier details. I’ve never done anything like it before. However, I think my biggest challenge was deciding what to show that was truly “me” and still be something the public can resonate with. Also getting it done in a timely manner while having a full-time hospo job… that was so hard, haha.
How did you find the collaborative aspect of the project and Nick’s work to animate your art?
I don’t think it could’ve gone any better. I had full faith in what Nick can do. I had suggestions on what to animate and my main concern was providing enough assets for him to aid in the animation. It’s not a dynamic scene so I thought it would’ve been a mission for him to animate, but damn he did well! The zoom in’s are brilliant – that’s all him!
Can you describe the scene you created – it feels at once very personal and yet very universal…
Sure! It’s a view through a window into someone’s kitchen – my kitchen if you wanna be specific. There’s curry on the stove. I’m frying an egg (I love crispy eggs with anything). There’s a bunch of dishes already in the sink because somehow that always happens, even when you’re cooking for one. It’s a starry night, the table’s set. The wind is blowing. If you look closely, you can try to glean what kind of person I am from what’s stuck on the fridge door: a kid’s drawing, an unpaid parking ticket, and a little polaroid of a four-legged friend. I guess what’s missing is just my rice cooker!
There is a lovely feeling that the work brings the domestic into the public realm, how do you hope people respond to the work?
Yeah, I really hope people can see some aspect of their home in the scene through the details I’ve included. Maybe it’s the curry. Or maybe you have pretty green curtains. I just want people who are in the city at night to look at it and remember that they can access the memory of their home anytime they like, and maybe find some comfort that it’s something they can return to. I’m fully aware this in itself is a luxury. If that’s the case, I hope they can feel some peace when they see the scene and take a moment for themselves.
The work was created from upcycled materials, how important is that approach in your practice?
Extremely! It was really essential that I only used second-hand materials when making this project. I managed to source everything I need from op shops (shoutout to Creative Junk) and stuff I already own. Even down to the thread. There’s already so much stuff on this Earth. I didn’t feel any need to buy anything new to create it. It also wouldn’t feel right making something that serves the public at the cost of the planet.
What were your thoughts the first time you saw the work live and illuminated?
Excited! Confused? How was it possible that I made that? I don’t know! I’ve never achieved anything of this scale. I guess, overall, at the risk of sounding simplistic, I was very happy.
Has this project inspired any new ideas that you want to explore?
Yes, it definitely has built up my interest in mixing different needlework techniques and fabric textures to make paintings, maybe even making it wearable. I feel like the possibilities are truly endless now!
There must be a few thank you’s to dish out – who do you want to give a high five?
Yes! Huge thanks to you and Nick for believing in what I can deliver. For Selina and Kophie for holding my damn hand in the beginning when I didn’t know how to start the project at all. And, of course, to my partner, Chase, for hyping me up on those nights where I felt like giving up. He’s my best friend and he inspires me every day.
You can see Iva’s work in person after dark at the intersection of Colombo Street and Gloucester Street.
Spotlight is made possible with support from the Christchurch City Council’s Place Partnership Fund, Rau Paenga, Phoenix PDP and Immersive Reality.
The Flare Ōtautahi Street Art Festival kicks off on Thursday, 27th February – and it is bringing 10 days of epic street art goodness! With a massive offering of things to do and see, let’s get everything you need to know in one place!
Headline Artists:
Jacob Yikes – Distinction Hotel – Spark Lane side, just off Cathedral Square
Berst – Spark Lane – opposite Jacob Yikes
Jessie Rawcliffe – 566 Colombo Street (on the exterior of Samurai Bowl)
Haser – Ara Campus, Madras Street
Fluro – 282 Cashel Street (Barbadoes Street end)
YSEK7 – 65 Worcester Street (opposite the eastern exterior of the Christchurch Art Gallery)
Nick Lowry – 173 Gloucester Street (Manchester Street end)
Additional Artworks:
Drez (Australia) – 267 St Asaph Street (opposite the Boxed Quarter)
Ling (Australia) – Exterior of Child Sister Cafe, Manchester Street
FSA x DTR x BRS Crew Wall – 490 Colombo Street, Sydenham
Rinley’s Wall – 47 Wordsworth Street, Sydenham
Ikarus x Dcypher – Spark Lane, Distinction Hotel
Additional Activations and Events:
FSA x Flare Pop-Up Exhibition – 10am – 5pm, 1-9 March, 181 High Street
Tattoo Pop-Up with Chez – 1-2 March, 181 High Street – DM @mkeltattooart for bookings
Watch This Space Street Art Tours – 11am & 2pm, 1, 2, 6, 8 & 9 March, departing from The Drifter – book via website/Humanitix
Flare x Watch This Space x Dulux x Duckewe Mural Jam/Mākete/Skate Day – 10am – 4pm, 8 March, Te Pae Green
Watch This Space Artist Panel Talk – 6:30pm, 7 March, Dux Central – tickets via Humanitix
Blackbook Sessions – see Flare website for details
Stencil Workshop – 6pm, 6 March, The Rambler – tickets via Humanitix
Los Angeles is an iconic city, but it never quite feels like it lives up to any sense of beautiful grandeur, the architecture is more post-modern than historic, the sun bleaches so many of its surfaces that there is always a sense that it has been washed out, and the sprawl makes it hard to contextualise your location. But despite this, there is an undeniable quality to the various haunts, whether it is the air of Hollywood Boulevard, the familiar locations from film and television, or the eccentricities of Venice Beach. The wide streets and the open expanse above give it feeling not dissimilar from post-quake Ōtautahi, although on a completely different scale. So when we were recently in the city, there was an unsettling melange of familiarity, strangeness, expectation and reality. But, for all that, there were lots of artistic treats to discover, from large murals to smaller interventions, with some big names thrown in the mix. It is impossible to cover all of such a sprawling city, and even the places we did explore are often hard to fully navigate, but here are some favourites we did find. Dive on in and check out some of our highlights from the City of Angels…
Yarn Bombing on Melrose AveWRDSMTH in West HollywoodAmerican Vintage on Melrose AvenueWRDSMTH in West HollywoodArt is War on Melorse AvenueEl Mac and Kophie in West HollywoodEd Ruscha at The Broad MuseumWalter Schels in West HollywoodMiss Van in HollywoodEsao Andrews in HollywoodTristan Eaton in HollywoodUnknown in HollywoodJonas Never in Venice BeachCats and Kobe in Venice BeachAbe and ZBoy in Venice BeachSlaps on Venice BeachNychos in Venice BeachThe Weird Crew in Venice BeachVenice BeachSHANE in Venice BeachTRIXTER in Venice BeachSlaps in Venice BeachUnknown artist in Venice BeachRip Cronk in Venice BeachOBEY slap in Venice BeachVhils in Venice BeachHiJack in Venice BeachMark Bradford at LAX
Oops, we did it again – you get another two-for-one this time as our busy schedule kept us a little behind the eight-ball when it comes to our favourite things! It might be a little concerning, what with a bumper summer incoming and a heap of cool projects on the horizon – but fear not, we make a promise to be very, very good. We hope. But enough with the apologies, let us celebrate what has been a prolific period with some highlights! Here are the things we loved over the last couple of months…
Kophie aka Meep – Trials @ Fibre Gallery, October 4 – November 8
There is a defiant attitude to Meep’s debut solo show Trials, a sense that this is on her terms. Whether it is the use of a knife and a boxing glove as unconventional canvasses, or the middle finger to the world of I’m Sick of Hearing You Talk (above), the collection of detailed works are both aloof and sick of the bullshit. We love it.
Hambone Slaps
To echo 2009 Kanye: “I’m really happy for you and I’mma let you finish, but Hambone has the best sticker of all time.” Change my mind, you won’t.
Yikes Refreshes Things…
Jacob Yikes has been updating a few works across the city – including his work outside Little High and the Tuam Street carpark, but our favourite is this haunting piece on Colombo Street, nestled next to Numskull’s I Always Knew You Would Come Back – it is both alluring and grotesque – the perfect combination! It also works perfectly with the existing IRONS piece above, showing Yikes’ deft touch with the spaces in which he works…
A Close Encounter in Los Angeles
If you know me, you know Portuguese artist Vhils is one of my favourite artists, his excavated works perfectly utilising the urban environments they occupy. So you can imagine my joy at stumbling across this work in Venice Beach while in Los Angeles recently. The incredible detail and textural quality drew me in and left me starstruck. For more Los Angeles finds, keep an eye out for our Postcard from Los Angeles soon!
Ed Ruscha @ The Broad in Los Angeles
Staying on the West Coast, it was also a treat to visit LA’s famous Broad Museum and see a massive retrospective of American painter Ed Ruscha, another long time favourite – from his bold text-based works to his flat Americana landscapes, there was everything to love!
Monti Masiu @ The Arts Centre
Monti Masiu has been creating some truly vibrant and striking works in the last year, drawing on his Tongan heritage but giving them a new power through their scale and public nature. We absolutely love his new work outside The Arts Centre on Worcester Boulevard, the warm tones, sweeping lines and bold forms are stunningly simple, impactful and alluring.
Something Fresh is Almost Here…
Kophie Su’a-Hulsbosch’s latest work is not quite complete at the time of writing (although we already know it is a truly awesome additional to the urban landscape) – but we had to include the squiggle grid for her sketch – if not for the brilliant image it creates and the hilarious messages included, but also because of the funny responses it drew – people unsure of what they were looking at, aghast at the dense spray painted words, and the attempts to decipher the next step…
OD X The Last Stylebender
Between Ōtautahi and Los Angeles, not geographically, just sequentially, we got the chance to check out Owen Dippie’s incredible mural of UFC star Israel Adesanya in down town Tāmaki Makaurau. While in an unassuming location, the work is brilliant and showstopping – with incredible detail and a striking sense of personality.
Lucha! Lucha! Lucha!
Lastly, I have to mention the experience of live CMLL Lucha Libra in Mexico City! The frenetic energy and raucous crowd made for an amazing night of flippy-flips, mascaras and drama! As a ‘mark’ since childhood, to see this live was an awesome experience. Five stars!
So, with apologies, that was our latest And That Was… – a smattering of local treats with some international sights as well! Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
