As part of Ōtautahi’s Matariki celebrations, the city’s most iconic heritage building has been illuminated by a powerful projection created by the Offline Collective’s Sam Emerson (Ngāi Tahu) in collaboration with collective members Michael Duggan and Charlie Pitts. Presented by Flare Ōtautahi Street Art Festival, the Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Project and Offline Collective, Hurihanga transforms the Cathedral’s exterior into a canvas of light, honouring stories of renewal, remembrance, and whakapapa through breathtaking visuals and mātauranga Māori.
An evocative public activation that invites pause, wonder, reflection, conversation and connection, Hurihanga adds meaningful layers to the famed Cathedral to reflect Ōtautahi’s navigation of our past, present and future to reveal our connections to place and each other in recognition of Matariki.
Offline Collective is an Ōtautahi based creative studio specialising in motion graphics, live visuals and immersive installations. Blending design, art and technology, Offline Collective craft bold, immersive visual experiences that integrate cultural narratives into contemporary digital art across a variety of platforms.
Led by Sam Emerson, one of Aotearoa’s most respected digital artists and producers, Offline Collective created Hurihanga to reflect ancestral stories and the significance of Puaka, the star to which Te Waipounamu looks for Matariki. The brightest star in Tautoru (Orion’s Belt), in Māori mythology Puaka’s appearance means Te Waka o Raki is rising to bring loved ones to their final resting place in the celestial kingdom, a reminder to acknowledge those who came before us, but also to celebrate the present, and to dream for the future. Hurihanga harnesses this wairua and draws on the symbolism of the cycles of time, of wind, rain, lightning and the growing, harvesting and storage of food, to create a sprawling, transformative story that takes viewers on a journey far beyond the physical setting.
Suggesting the power of art and the diverse ways we can creatively activate our shared landscape, through the powerful lens of te Aō Māori imagery and storytelling, Hurihanga is a must see! Explore a new way of seeing the heart of the city this winter with this striking collaboration!
Hurihanga has been made possible with the support of a number of donors who supported the Boosted campaign – highlighting the power of community!
I might be a bit biased (Disclaimer: I was the author of the Ghosts on Every Corner book and have been involved in the project since it’s initial genesis), but it is hard to go past Ghosts on Every Corner as one of the most impactful art projects to emerge from Ōtautahi in 2025. Numbers generally don’t lie – tentative counts suggests more than 10,000 people visited the Pūmanawa Gallery space at the Arts Centre in the five week run that Ghostcat’s scratch-built recreations were on display, a huge figure for an independent project. Additionally, the book documenting and expanding the project, featuring striking photography by the super talented Dave Richards, has proven popular, selling more than 700 copies on pre-order before being placed on the bookshelves of retail outlets. It would be fair to say that Ghosts on Every Corner struck a chord.
Wizards Arcade (photo: Dave Richards)
What made this project so impactful? The foundations are, of course, found in Ghostcat’s incredible ability to craft his work as intricately detailed, seemingly lived-in constructions, weathered and layered in a way that invites deep consideration and a sense of familiar experience. Despite their small size, they feel like places we can inhabit, they feel real and are tangible and tactile, a quality that is increasingly important in a world dominated by the potential of digital and AI-created imagery. To witness people scanning these works of art, leaning in, invited to remember their connection to these places, was to see the way people associated with the these works of art and their purpose.
The second layer was obviously the role of nostalgia, and encouraging people to consider the role these places, tattoo parlours, record stores, video game arcades, cafes, shaped our lives, collectively and individually. People have remarked about the way Ghosts on Every Corner allowed them to reminisce, but also to reconcile their connection to place, to properly farewell these places after losing many in a very abrupt manner (it is worth pointing out that not all of these places were destroyed in the earthquakes – some had already evolved into new forms by 2010/2011, affected by forces of commerce and social trends). Countless visitors recounted their personal attachments to place, both those in the exhibition and locations beyond the show’s scope. This reflected the project’s intention to be both highly specific and yet, universally evocative. While Ghosts on Every Corner spotlit local memories, it also can be considered as a lens to reflect on the corner stores, the food joints, the video stores, that everyone knew growing up – not just in Ōtautahi, but in any town or city across Aotearoa and the world. Ghosts on Every Corner acknowledges that places shape us and give us identity and community. Change does not have to be expedited by a natural disaster, change is inevitable, sometimes gradual, sometimes internal, but always inevitable.
Echo Records (Photo: Dave Richards)
This sense of connection is another key layer to Ghosts on Every Corner. The project was built upon conversation, upon a recognition of community. Whether it was friends, family, workplaces, sub-cultures, or disparate crowds, the stories of Ghosts on Every Corner revel in the coming together of people. Reflecting this, the project was shaped by input from a wide range of people – from suggestions of places for Ghostcat to build, to the stories and recollections gathered for the book’s chapters. Ghosts on Every Corner was created by a larger community. People have seen themselves as part of the creation, they have felt connected to the outcomes. This layered quality, this ability to connect with people is where Ghosts on Every Corner gains its potency. A touching, celebratory project, it has made people smile, cry, dream and talk. That seems like a truly valuable impact.
The Ghosts on Every Corner book is now available in selected book stores.
The legendary FILTH Crew are the latest artists to transform the ‘permanent’ Giant Cans on St Asaph Street! In late May, Morks, Lurq and Tepid added some fresh funk with their collaborative production that references so many of the things that have shaped this long-running, one-of-a-kind creative collective. While the cylindrical cans present a unique proposition and challenge, the FILTH Crew have long made use of unusual surfaces and environments – from city walls, to trains, to the surroundings of Te Wai Pounamu’s rivers and plains. In their work for the Giant Cans, these influences are made clear, as we found out from Morks:
“Our concept for the cans was to match all three cans. We wanted to represent the South Island, using the Southern Alps and Canterbury Plains. We chose the colour blue for the ‘FILTHS’ signature font up at the top of the cans, to represent the Southern Alps, which appear inside the letters. Our pieces’ colour schemes were based on and influenced by pounamu, being endemic to the South Island. We brought in elements of the West Coast, Fiordland, Western Southland and the Nelson Districts as well. We added the harakeke overlapping the pieces to bring all the elements of South onto the cans.” The effect is lively, meaningful and evocative of the surrounding environment just beyond the city’s doorstep. The production feels proudly familiar.
While the circular form was challenging, the cans also presented an opportunity to think around how to encourage the viewer to look at the overall picture. Morks continues: “We started from the top and worked our way towards the bottom. The round surface was challenging. We wanted our pieces to wrap around the whole can to create a flow. When you stand on a certain angle, the Southern Alps align like they would in real life.”
The work brings together so many elements that have influenced the FILTHS Crew over their long history – identifying their unique status as a collective that looks a little bit differently at the world around them. “For 25 years we have been consistently active on the rail system, from wagons, trackside, bridges, stations. You see our names. Staying consistent gives us the ability to replicate our process of getting up with the same level and quality over and over again, consistency is what transforms average into excellence.” That consistency has ensured that the FILTHS’ legacy is widely respected.
Marking their lengthy existence, the crew has exciting plans for their quarter century milestone: “The FILTHS’ 25 Years as a Crew Exhibition will give an insight into the history of South Island graffiti. The show will present like a timeline, or history lesson. There will be a lot of art on display, from early sketches, photos, drawings, limited edition t-shirts, model trains, and a feature wall of original 6×4 photos of 500 Spacerunner photos that have never been seen.” This approach will ensure the exhibition is a must-see – stay tuned for more information!
In the meantime, check out the FILTHS’ contribution to the Giant Cans on St Asaph and get inspired!
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.
