Christchurch's Graffiti Revival

Christchurch is still a mess.  6 years on from the  September 2010 7.2 earthquake that began its destruction, it remains a jumble of demolition and construction. Where there were once streets, there are now wastelands being used as car parks. But something amazing has been going on. NZ and international artists have been painting exposed, scarred walls with graffiti art - some of it sensational. The iconic image of this street art exhibition was the Ballerina, painted on the back wall of the  restored Theatre Royal, by Owen Dippie.
The Ballerina, being painted from a crane by Owen Dippie
I've been wandering around to see how many I can spot.  I found these New Zealand birds, though I had to trespass on a building site to photograph them.

Raven

Tui
There are a number of super-realist images.


And rather spooky images peer out at you from side-streets, and the doors of boarded up shops.


Or lurking in the porta-cabins erected to protect listed facades.


There are colourful monsters




Multi-coloured car-parking



Superman


Some interesting cartoons



And the images are both inside and out.  This one is in the YMCA building that recently hosted the graffiti exhibition.

And the ballerina? She's being obliterated by a new building.  Which I suppose goes to underline the temporary nature of graffiti art.  But it seems a shame.



Comments

Popular Posts