Sofiya Romanenko – Watch This Space

Dark Ballad – A Deep Cut

With a unique aesthetic and process for the world of urban art, Dark Ballad has established himself through a series of striking works across Ōtautahi, including gothic-inspired paste-ups and a woodblock tablet series for the 2023 Little Street Art Festival, as well as an ever-expanding collection of collaborations that range from prints to t-shirts. Working with figures from the worlds of fine arts and graffiti, these collaborations are always fresh, and through their ultimately one-of-a-kind woodblock printed aesthetic and finish, they are retain a key point of difference from more mass-produced clothing offerings. In addition to his technical output, Dark Ballad has also been involved in community arts initiatives, including curating the Carve surfboard art trail in New Brighton for the Duke Festival of Surfing in early 2025, a public art installation featuring over a dozen local artists. With such a wide range of activity, we thought it was well overdue we sat down with the ‘Master of the Dark Arts’ for a chat about his experiences, his philosophies and what might come next…

Dark – Graffiti of Ōtautahi No. 1 – by Mitchell Bolstridge

With Ōtautahi ZineFest 2025 taking place at the end of August, it is a perfect time to shine a spotlight on a fresh zine that has recently captured our attention — Mitchell Bolstridge’s Dark – Graffiti of Ōtautahi, No. 1. That turn of phrase is fitting, as Dark itself is a zine that illuminates dark spaces around the city and the expressions found within them — the tags, throwies, pieces, and other additions that signify the allure of our city’s liminal zones. A beautiful production, with grainy film stock images, Dark is an exploration of the city, illuminating overlooked areas while also reflecting on the changing landscape and attitudes towards graffiti across the city. We caught up with Dark creator Mitchell Bolstridge for a chat about the inspiration for the zine, the process of capturing the images and what might come next…

Yarnarchy ’25 – An Interview with Kate Finnerty

Gap Filler’s Yarnarchy is a unique part of Ōtautahi’s urban creative scene — a festival dedicated to yarn-bombing and craftivism that celebrates both the power of urban intervention and the ability of urban craft to engage a diverse audience and community of artists — turning those with a passion for craft into street artists! Founded by Gap Filler’s Play Programme Coordinator Kate Finnerty, Yarnarchy is a vibrant activation and reconsideration of the city that is now into its fourth year. Growing and evolving over the last three festivals, 2025 is now in full swing, with an array of surprising artworks installed and a special collaboration with the amazing Jolt Dance — a local organisation that empowers people through the accessibility of dance. We chatted with Kate about Yarnarchy, the roots of the event, its evolution and why it is such a powerful experience…