mural – Watch This Space

Chromatic Oscillations – An Interview with Drez

Good things take time – that’s what they say, anyway. It’s hard to believe that it was mid-March when we sat down with Melbourne artist Drez to reflect on his whirlwind visit to Ōtautahi for the Flare Street Art Festival, where does the time go? With a lot going on, it has taken us a while to finally publish our conversation (conducted in a car in Phillipstown just before Drez departed for the airport!), but we know it is worth the wait! After getting to know Drez as he painted his striking mural on St Asaph Street, it was a privilege to take the chance to dive a bit deeper into his practice, his influences and the comparative cultural and historic landscapes of Aotearoa and Australia. A thoughtful and reflective presence, Drez reveals the importance that he places on his work’s ability to engage its audience through colour and form, eliciting a direct connection between art and experience…

River Jayden’s Te Pūrakau ā Tiki rāua ko Tūtānekai – Celebrating Identity and Reclaiming Space…

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.

Piece of Mind – Dcypher, Graffiti Muralism and Changing Perceptions…

When the opportunity to refresh his mural on the corner of Welles Street and Colombo Street arose in late 2024, Dcypher had a few ideas in mind. The original mural, commissioned by the New Zealand Transport Agency, had become somewhat rundown, it’s large sections of flat colour filled with a variety of uninvited additions. The chance to repaint the wall, without having to respond to a cycle safety brief, allowed the artist to explore themes and styles closer to his heart.

Jacob Yikes Goes Big for Flare!

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!

And That Was… September and October, 2024

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…

And That Was… November 2023

OK, so this is a little late – OK, so this is a lot late. Sorry, but better late than never, right? Right? Anyway, let’s just ignore the tardiness and get on with it, because, there was plenty to enjoy throughout November – headlined by our very own Little Street Art Festival finally coming to life (what did we say about better being late than never?) alongside a slew of other favourites… What did we love? Read on and find out…

The Little Street Art Festival

After several years of planning, we were as proud as punch to finally bring The Little Street Art Festival to life in late November! A celebration of the powerful potential of smaller-scaled street art and it’s material diversity, the festival featured eight projects by nine local artists spread across the central city – from paintings to sculptures and even interactive treasure hunts. Additionally, we hosted guided tours, an artist panel, workshops and activations – thank you to all who took part and supported this event – we look forward to seeing how far we can take this unique concept and we are already looking forward to 2024! For more information, visit littlestreetartfestival.co.nz. [Photo credit: Centuri Chan]

Shadows Surgeon’s Cutting Up The Dark

We were lucky enough to be in the audience for the premiere of Shadows Surgeon’s incredible documentary Cutting Up The Dark at Wigram’s Silky Otter Cinema – surrounded by a who’s who of local graffiti artists, many featured in the film. A roving exploration of graffiti across Te Waipounamu, from abandoned hot spots to fresh productions captured in action, the film reflects the director’s stunning photography and willingness to explore – an amazing watch that re-frames our beautiful motu! Visit https://www.cuttingupthedark.com/ for streaming options!

Clones – A Show by Klaudia Bartos and Friends

Friday November 3rd saw the opening of Clones, a collaborative show created by Klaudia Bartos at Masked Artist Gallery in the Boxed Quarter. Taking her small clay face sculptures as the grounding for a collection of her friends to create new forms, the show was based around ‘clones’ of Bartos’ original pieces. A line up of diverse talents, the creations were striking, intriguing, humorous, clever and heartfelt. We were especially fond of Jessie Rawcliffe’s red skull piece, but so was someone else, who snapped it up straight away…

Dcypher’s Cybernetic City

Fittingly painted at the St Asaph Street entrance to Cotters Lane, where his nostalgic Kodak mural resides, Dcypher’s recent futuristic production is a clear contrast to the more historically-minded sepia work with a cybernetic vision of our entangled existence with digital technology. Deploying blues and pinks to highlight the neon effect, the work is yet another example of the talent of an aerosol master…

KURUPT Cleans Up The City

We loved these stencils popping up around the city, a playful poke at the buff and ‘cleaning up’ the city. Simple and clearly a celebration of the traditions of stencil art, the repeated piece also remembers that a sense of humour has always been a key component of post-graffiti street art’s commentary.

So, these were our favourites from November – what about you? Feel free to take a while to think it over, just like we did!

And That Was… September 2023

September. The month Daylight Savings kicks in and a more optimistic air becomes more pervasive. The changing of the clocks allows us all to feel like we can get more done, that we can become more sociable and upbeat. Sure, this may not be universally true, but it is kind of real, right? It definitely felt like that. But it was also apparent that for this more upbeat attitude, the weather was keen to keep us on our toes, from wet downpours to howling winds, a number of the events and projects we loved this past month were affected by unpredictable weather. From significant projects and popular events, September provided a number of treats, and here they are:

Kophie Su’a-Hulsbosch and Janine Williams‘ Wāhine Toa Mural

We were privileged to work on this significant project, supporting two immensely talented artists, Ōtautahi’s Kophie Su’a-Hulsbosch and Tāmaki Makaurau’s Janine Williams, in spotlighting the legacies of five wāhine toa who left indelible influences on this city and country. This landmark mural, depicting author and peace activist Elsie Locke, Olympian Neroli Fairhall, singer, broadcaster and champion for Māori culture and language Airini Nga Roimata Grennell Gopas, Māori welfare and health activist Erihapeti Rehu-Murchie and conservationist and Ngāi Tahu leader Wharetutu te Aroha Stirling, was launched on the occasion of the 130th anniversary of the Suffrage movement in Aotearoa, a reminder of the importance of honouring those who laid the path for our future generations of women to succeed and change the world. Thank you to ChristchurchNZ for the support!

Christchurch Hip Hop Summit x DTR Crew Graffiti Jam

No crew in Aotearoa can match the productions of our own local legends the DTR Crew – a fact evidenced by their work at the Dance-O-Mat for the Christchurch Hip Hop Summit – a stunning work that is all the more incredible when we acknowledge the conditions under which it was created, with torrential rain howling around the artists. But bad weather is no match for the DTR Crew, with a stunning creation, evoking the Lonestar State, and featuring Wongi ‘Freak’ Wilson’s incredible portrait of musician That Mexican OT, transforming the site.

Christchurch Hip Hop Summit Graffiti Art Panel Discussion

We were lucky enough to host the graffiti panel discussion at the Christchurch Hip Hop Summit’s series of talks – a great opportunity to hear from four artists about their insights and experiences in the world of graffiti art. With a panel consisting of Ikarus, Drows, Meep and Local Elements, we touched on gender in graffiti, colour blindness, the centrality of style across hip hop, exploring cultural identity through graffiti and more topics. (Image from Christchurch Hip Hop Summit)

Spotlight – Urban Art Projections

September saw two stunning works featured in the Spotlight series – Bloom’s Wall of Blooms and Jimirah Baliza’s Get a Grip – both very different creations, but both beautiful ephemeral additions to city after dark and testimony to the talented female creatives who call Ōtautahi home! While Bloom’s linear bouquet provided a serene encounter, Baliza’s candyfloss pink claw game riffed on the nostalgia of childhood. Spotlight has been an amazing opportunity to afford artists a new format to showcase their work, one that has unlocked plenty of future potential! (Image: Jimirah Baliza’s Get a Grip)

Cheap Thrills Market @ Lyttelton

We loved the pop culture goodness at Dead Video’s Cheap Thrills Market in Lyttelton in mid September – from film to anime, cartoon, collectibles and gaming, it was a treasure trove of memories and must-haves. I even managed to pick up a signed One Man Gang 8×10 (IYKYK)…

These were our highlights for September – but what did we miss? Let us know your favourites in the comments!

And That Was… November 2022

November brought BIG news – almost 10 years after the landmark Rise exhibition, Canterbury Museum will stage SHIFT – an urban art takeover of the iconic institution and a final hurrah to the building before redevelopment. But, this exciting news isn’t all that made November memorable! From international rock stars to small street art, summer is shaping up to be exciting!

SHIFT – Urban Art Takeover @ Canterbury Museum

Perhaps the biggest news of November was the announcement of SHIFT – Urban Art Takeover – a massive artistic takeover of the Museum, with over 50 artists transforming 5 floors of the iconic cultural institution! A completely unique exhibition, this is sure to be an unprecedented event!

Dcypher @ Chiwahwah

A fresh new work appeared along the lively Terrace strip in the central city in November, with a striking Mexican-inspired anamorphic mural by local legend Dcypher on Chiwahwah Cantina’s exterior wall. The mural stretches along the wall and is best viewed from a specific vantage point – make sure you find it!

Ikarus goes small…

Dcypher’s DTR crewmate was also busy, but at a different scale, with a series of small urban diorama’s covertly placed around the city. The grimy settings like tiny stage sets that blend into the surrounding environment.

Archetypes @Fiksate

Archetypes, a collaborative show by Dr Suits and Jessie Rawcliffe ran through November at Fiksate Gallery. The alluring paintings combine Rawcliffe’s stunningly meticulous portraits with Dr Suits’ dynamic abstraction, the results forming a beautiful suite of works that illuminated new readings of each artist.

Klaudia Bartos @ TyanHAUS

Another exhibition that we loved in November was Klaudia Bartos’ Haus of Heads at TyanHAUS in Sydenham. The beguiling series of surreal, devilish visages, produced mediums ranging from watercolour to fabric, were haunting and intriguing, inviting closer inspection…

Normally And That Was… is capped at five entries, but I couldn’t leave the return of live gigs by international artists returning to Christchurch! I may have missed UK band Idles, but a week later I was able to witness an impressive performance by US alt legend Jack White, and, it is safe to say, I’m glad I did! There was a request for no videos, so the video below will make do to replicate the energetic opener Taking Me Back…

They were out highlights from November 2022 – what were yours? Let us know in the comments!

And That Was… May 2022

May is the month when you can feel winter coming, daylight savings ends, the weather becomes just that little bit more unpredictable, and t-shirts start to be accompanied by warmer layers (just in case), yet we can also ignore these signs and enjoy the final throes of Summer’s waning presence. This May, we have enjoyed a range of treats, from the streets of Ōtautahi to gallery walls in Te- Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, a beautiful secluded gem in Waltham, a haunting surprise outside one of our favourite bars and the odd geeky nightmare…

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Cape of Storms – The Paste-Up Project

We welcomed the third artist to the Phantom bollard take-over The Paste-Up Project, with Cape of Storms adorning the circular structure with a signature blast of colourful retro collage posters. The installation, titled Foreign Objects, reflects on the adjustment to life in Aotearoa, highlighting Kiwi quirks through nostalgic compositions of food and fashion and vintage media. The appearance is easily mistaken for official poster advertising, until closer inspection reveals the acerbic humour – check it out on Manchester Street!

Jessie Rawcliffe – Adam Portraiture Award

We’ve always known our pal Jessie Rawcliffe was super talented – now she has the certificate to prove it! Jessie’s striking portrait Richard, of Wellington tattoo artist Richard Warnock, was highly commended in the Adam Portraiture Awards at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery in the capital. From 351 entries, the Adam Awards exhibition was narrowed down to 45 works, with Jessie’s painting being placed in the top 7 by judges Linda Tyler and Karl Maughan.

The Haunted Teacup

You may know about Watch This Space’s plans for The Little Street Art Festival in 2023 (if not, more to come soon!) – but did you know about Ghostcat‘s Haunted Teacup – a work created to exemplify the types of works the festival will celebrate? The worn Victorian-styled automata viewing box has been surprising viewers passing The Last Word on New Regent Street through May, drawing people in with the promise of a terrifying supernatural experience, but is it what it seems? Go and check it out… If you dare!

7 Oaks Mural

We recently had the chance to work with Life in Vacant Spaces and the amazing community at Waltham’s 7 Oaks – an incredible site where array of groups make use of a beautiful space. Together we created a participatory mural welcoming visitors to 7 Oaks, a team effort where 3 year olds and those just a little bit older all contributed to a mural that draws on the surrounding environment.

Return to the Upside Down

Last, but not least, is a shout out to my nerdy side (which is possibly 73% of me) and the long anticipated debut of season four of everyone’s favourite 80’s homage Stranger Things! I may or may not have binged all seven episodes in one night, but who is asking, really? I also may have already re-watched it and now wait impatiently for the final two episodes… Bada Bada Boom!

What made your May list? Let us know!

Welcome to 7 Oaks…

In collaboration with Life in Vacant Spaces, Watch This Space recently worked with the 7 Oaks community at Hassals Lane to create a welcoming mural on the beautiful site. 7 Oaks is a diverse community who have made the old school site in Waltham home, the space a wondrous environment of creativity and nature.

After a consultation process with the community, a participatory mural concept was developed to reflect the 7 Oaks space and to send a warm welcome to visitors as they enter the site. In a simple typographic concept, a variety of leaves, many drawn from the site’s own plush greenery, were roller stencilled by people of all ages inside the text, ensuring a sense of engagement and legacy for multiple generations (the youngest artist was just two years old!). The understated, but bold outcome echoed the colourful surroundings and the community spirit of cooperation.

Truly a team effort, the mural would never have eventuated without the many hands and minds who contributed; Elisha from LiVS (and her predecessor Rachael), Marian, Lily, Ollie, John and the many more members of the 7 Oaks community, Mike and Nick for their technical and practical assistance, and most importantly, the tireless Lydia from LiVS – team work makes the dream work!

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Are you interested in a mural project? Email [email protected] and let’s see how we can help!