Tag: panel

Flare Ōtautahi Street Art Festival 2025 – A Photo Essay Recap…

It is hard to believe that three months have flown by since the 2025 Flare Ōtautahi Street Art Festival coloured our city’s walls with a flurry of activity and energy! A triumphant return for the mural festival, the 2025 iteration drew huge crowds, enthusiastic media coverage and, of course, a collection of impressive artworks that further cement Ōtautahi Christchurch as the urban art destination of Aotearoa. From colourful abstractions, striking portraits, and bold typography to sky-high surrealism, complex graffiti and poignant cultural narratives, Flare covered a range of bases stylistically and thematically. With more than 19 large-scale works and a series of activations, Flare 2025 was indicative of a city completely enamoured with turning our streets into canvasses and embracing possibility!

We thought that with the cold months now well and truly here, it would be an ideal time to bring some fire and warm some souls with a reminder of Flare’s goodness – so join us for a little stroll through memory lane with a visual recap of Flare Ōtautahi Street Art Festival 2025!

Dcypher’s Urban Abstract was a stop on a Watch This Space guided tour…
As was Jessie Rawcliffe’s Ophelia, where the artist talked to the tour group.
The tour also took in the massive work by Jacob Yikes, Aotearoa’s tallest mural.
Haser’s Manawa Pou, Manawa Ora in progress.
The master, Dr Berst in action….
Drez’s St Asaph Street work is a stunning addition.
Jen Heads’ window installation at The Drifter…
Jessie Rawcliffe’s stuinning Ophelia, Colombo Street.
YSEK’s studio Ghibli inspired work on Worcester Boulevard.
YSEK’s work featured a collaboration with fellow FSA crew member Seven Eleven.
Ling’s Elias, May and Kairau on the side of Child Sister.
Fluro’s I Look To The Hills is an evocative landmark framed by the imposing Te Kaha.
Haser, Fluro, Berst, Jessie Rawcliffe and Ling joined the 2025 Artist Panel.
Everything kicked off with the FSA X DTR X BRS Production Wall on Colombo Street.
Always insightful, Berst chatted with tour groups.
Haser’s Manawa Pou, Manawa Ora completed.
Nick Lowry completed two works for Flare, highlighting his prodigious output…
Nick Lowry’s second wall, in progress…
FOUL from the Flare Market Graffiti Wall…
TWICE from the Flare Market Graffiti Wall…
Miiekes, Klaudia Bartos, Hambone, Tom Kerr and Ekos on the Flare Market Tattoo Wall…
Jessie Rawcliffe and Devos on the Flare Market Wall…
Ling and Berst at the Flare Market Wall.
Trystan Cutts and Kyla K and Xact’s collab at the Flare Market Wall.
Pest5 for the TMD Crew Jam, Sydenham.

Photo credits: Centuri Chan, Reuben Woods

For specific locations – remember to check out our ever-growing map!

Watch This Space presents the Flare Street Art Festival Artist Panel

Watch This Space, in partnership with the Flare Street Art Festival, was proud to present the first ever Flare Street Art Festival Artist Panel; a chance to sit down in conversation with five of the headline artists from the festival and reflect on their work in Christchurch, their careers, their influences and aspirations. The conversation, hosted at 12 Bar on March 11th, 2022, provided some great insights into contemporary urban art in Aotearoa, it’s evolution and the motivations of the artists who are transforming city walls brick by brick. With a mix of local artists (Ikarus and Meep) and visiting creatives (Kell Sunshine, Koryu and Swiftmantis), there was a sense of diversity among the panel and experiences spanning many years and settings, making it a great deep dive into graffiti, street art, muralism and more. Check out the full discussion below…

Thank you to Ikarus, Kell Sunshine, Meep, Koryu and Swiftmantis for their participation, the support from Selina Faimalo, Dcypher and the Flare crew, Matt, Kendra and the team at 12 Bar, the WORD Festival for the live streaming gear and to Corban Tupou for the technical expertise, we could not have done without you!