Colour and conservation
A mural project is bringing colour along with a conservation message to New Zealand’s east coast.
The Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans programme is co-ordinated through the international not-for-profit organisation PangeaSeed Foundation.
The foundation’s mission is to empower individuals and communities to create meaningful environmental change for oceans through ‘‘ARTivism’’, education and science.
A team of local and international artists have taken to the Taira¯ whiti and Uawa areas, north of Hawke’s Bay, to add about 24 murals to the streets as part of the project.
PangeaSeed New Zealand artist and co-ordinator Cinzah Merkens said the idea was to give streets ‘‘the voice of the ocean’’.
‘‘[It’s about] expressing a lot of the issues and solutions that the world’s oceans are currently facing, through public art.’’
Fifty-two murals had been painted in Napier over the past two years, with plans to extend that up the coast to Gisborne and Taira¯ whiti.
There had been 20 murals painted across Gisborne over the past week, and four more were being painted in Tolaga Bay.
A large set of artists were voluntarily contributing to the project, including locals from the Taira¯whiti region, and other Kiwi and international artists.
‘‘You’re always looking for the new artists who have got amazing work and speak to this messaging,’’ Merkens said.
‘‘For us, as artists, we have this ability to transform a rather large space that can really make an impact in a public environment.
‘‘To bring messaging into that which can encourage and promote sustainable change and have an impact on a space socially and environmentally, it’s a pretty powerful tool.’’
The ocean was the livelihood and ‘‘lifeblood’’ for many who lived on the east coast, he said, which made it relevant to the area. ‘‘It’s enforcing those beliefs that are already here and helping to educate around some of the other national and global issues.’’
Merkens would like to eventually see a ‘‘trail’’ connecting the murals from Napier, through to Wairoa then Uawa.
The foundation has created nearly 300 murals in 12 countries since the project was launched in 2014.