Today I saw an article in The Wireless that reminded me that I have been meaning to link to an RNZ piece about graffiti feat. Ketty.
That's it. Two links. I posted something. Woo.
Graf media
Chalk about it. Papua Merdeka!
Relevant words here. Oh no, just check the image below. Grab your chalks and let's go.
Don't know what this is about? Check out the Run It Straight video..
If you want to get involved in Wellington, holla at We Bleed Black and Red
Bloody Good Installation
As part of the Vivid street art exhibition two artists from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa were commissioned to paint the side of the BGI on MacDonald Cres. I caught up with them when they were prettying up the windows at Thistle Hall.
Onyx
Onyx Karati, also known as 'OK' and 'Sirok' says his main motivation for street art is "the freedom of it." "Street art is political in a way. You don't have an option what you see on commercial billboards, they're just in your face."
However, after being caught about 5 times, he knows how severely that freedom can be curtailed. One time he was knocked out for a short time after being thrown against a wall by a security guard. "I think he realised what he'd done so he let me get away."
Last year Onyx completed a Diploma in Māori Visual Arts and he plans to continue exploring with different media this year.
Leon Hohepa and Onyx Karati at work at the Vivid exhibit
Leon
Leon Hohepa is also a student at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and plans to continue his studies there in 2016. The collab at BGI was "...my first time using cans and I fell in love with it". He is currently experimenting with realist painting. Leon has just finished an exhibition at The Living Room in Porirua and is planning more in the future.
Good citizens spread the grey
The original letter and colourful reply
The original letter
Persistent graffiti on the Carmichael Reservoir - asking for your help to manage this
Hi neighbours
Keeping this area safe is important to most of us. This is such a peaceful, beautiful and friendly spot ... we are keen it stay that way.
Part of this is keeping the Carmichael Reservoir graffiti free. Although graffiti seems like a minor thing, our experience over many years of living in this area is that if it's not dealt with immediately it gets worse, attracts people with time on their hands, including the more serious taggers and vandals, and then other crime starts to happen.
Usually it's not difficult to keep the tank graffiti free. We walk around it regularly and paint out any graffiti as soon as we can. Usually we go months without anyone tagging the tank.
Back in November, however, someone painted a few tags (which we painted over), and then over the past two weeks we have had someone return repeatedly and persistently.
Given this, we have notified the Police, and provided them with the times that the graffiti is happening. They have logged this as a live job.
Given the nature of the graffiti, it's pretty obvious that this is not a hardened criminal, but perhaps a young person unaware of the consequences of their behaviour.
Given that they keep doing this regularly, it is only a matter of time until they are caught. We hope that they stop before that happens.
You can help us deter them by doing the following, if you feel able:
- Please walk around the reservoir once a day. Take your phone/camera. Note the time.
- Email the time and what you observed (eg 12.30pm, no graffiti) to graffiti.free.coro.street@gmail.com This helps to build a picture of when the person is doing the graffiti-ing. We will pass this info on to the Police.
- If you see anyone graffiti-ing, please observe what details you can (and, ideally, take a photo). It is important that you put your safety first at all time - please don't do anything that would endanger you or others. It would be helpful if you would phone the Police on 111 or 381-2000, but this (of course) is your decision.
- If you think you know this person, who may live locally, please consider having a chat with them and suggesting some alternative activities.
Thanks for considering this
The reply
Persistent grey on the Carmichael Reservoir - asking for your help to manage this
Hi neighbourinos!
Keeping this area vibrant and beautiful is important to some of us. This is such a creative, beautiful and friendly spot ... we are keen that it stays this way. Join us in our crusade.
Part of this is keeping the Carmichael Reservoir colourful (it isn't really but we're pushing an agenda here). Although keeping the Carmichael Reservoir colourful seems like a minor thing, our experience is if the grey is not dealt with immediately, it gets worse, attracting small-minded people with time on their hands, including the more anti-art citizens and ratepayers, and then other gentification starts to happen.
Usually it's not difficult to keep the tank graffitied. We walk around the tank regularly and paint over any grey we can. Unfortunately, we have gone too long with a grey tank.
Back in November, however, some art was painted on the tank (and then greyed over) and then over the last two weeks, all art has been greyed over repeatedly and persistently.
Given this, we have notified local artists and given them locations that the grey has occurred. They have logged this as a live job.
Given the nature of the grey, it is pretty obvious that these people are hardened anti-colourists, but peerhaps older (edited for ageism) people unaware of the boringness of their actions.
Given that they keep doing this regularly, it is only a matter of time until they make the whole area boring. We hope they stop before that happens.
You can help to could the reservoir by doing the following, if you feel able:
- Please walk around the reservoir once a day. Take a can of paint. Don't note the time.
Don't email the time or what you observed (eg don't leave evidence) to creative.coro.street@gmail.com We will not pass anything on to the Police.
If you see anyone grey-ing, please observe what you can (and, ideally, take a photo). It is important that you put your community first at all times - please engage in friendly conversation if you feel like it. It would be helpful if you would phone a neighbour and check how they are going but this (of course) is your decision.
If you think you know these people, who may live locally, please consider having a chat with them and suggesting some alternative community-minded activities.
Thanks and have an awesome day!
Vivid
I stumbled across a street art exhibition at Thistle Gallery last night. The Vivid exhibit is encouraging street art in Wellington and creating a space for discussing how we can "tackle tagging". Their kaupapa seems to focus on encouraging legal works, this possibly has something to do with the many official sponsors they have. As part of this exhibit there will be three new art works going up around town.
There is also a webmap of street art in Wellington city associated with this exhibition.
They are also screening DREGS, a New Zealand street art documentary Directed and Produced by Karl Sheridan & Cinzah Merkens on Thursday 18, 6:30pm
Oi, you, peep this! Spectrum Art Festival Ōtautahi/Christchurch
If you get a chance to go and see the awesomeness that is the Spectrum street art festival, d-d-do it! Much inspiration is contained within the four (or five, or ten) walls of the YMCA and further excitement when you venture outside to the streets.
Featuring artists from Aotearoa and abroad, the fresh layout of this exhibition blew my tiny mind.
10/10 will view again.
Einer Stein what I met one time
Skulking in an alley, the artist presently known as Steiner was painting at an unnamed burger outlet that might possibly be identifiable in the photos once I fucking well find them.
I was spittting sparks at the opportunity to talk graf so I cornered him, borrowed his pen and scribbled some semi-legible notes That may or may not resemble those below.
Found em!
Andrew Steiner has been painting since age 15, beginning with tagging "Stein' and 'Stine" around his neighbourhood in the ole US of Western imperialism.
Have you ever been caught?
"Yeah, but I've been pretty lucky. One time the cops caught me painting on St Patrick's day but they were like 'What are you doing? Get outta here!' because I have red hair and look Irish. If I had a different skin colour that would've been a whole different story."
Steiner has moved to Aotearoa for love, or some gross thing like that, as his fiance hails from Whakatū/Nelson. He is planning on collabing with Askew and Vents in Tāmaki-makaurau/Auckland at some point in the near future.
Steiner's wise words of wisdom for aspiring graffies:
"Practice is important... but don't be afraid to be different, to find something unique within yourself."
I skipped away, as happy as someone whose name may or may not be Larry, clutching the stickers Steiner had gifted me.
Fanks, Steiner!
Graffiti for the bourgeoisie
An expensive expression of your rebel self. Yours for only $$$ + GST.
Are normal sketchbooks too cheap for you? Do you yearn for a designer cover to effortlessly project your questioning of societal and artistic norms?
No?
Me neither, but I found this expensive sketchbook with stock photos of bland urban scenes upon which a lucky consumer can scribble their dreams of artistic freedom.
From the nothing to the interwebs...
Greetings, greetings, and greetings some more!
Welcome to the first (and currently the only) blog post of wellystreets!
Even though I am far from actually being ready/brave enough to jump off the diving board of interwebby uncertainty and into the pool of digital interaction, I'm going to start posting....now.
About Me.
[never insert image here]
I do and love graf things.
Stencils is my main medium right now but I will try anything thrice.
I'm not from here but I'm from here, you know what I mean? Of course you don;t. that was a pointlessly vague sentence. It will be updated.... one day.
On wellystreets the definition of graffiti/street art is going to be hella broad and epically whimsical because, to me, it's more about finding funness and creativity than attaining any kind of place in graffiti nirvana through strict application of its (non-existent) laws and tenets and accrual of maximum graffiti points.
I'm also gonna take a broad approach and 'Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington' to mean, basically, anywhere I go and see art that fickles my tancy, even if that's the interwebs. And there's nothing* that you can do about it, so ners.
I will also rant about tags and their exclusion from the main art page later. Feel free to challenge me on this if you wish. It's possible that I'm a raving graf bigot.
My excitement at finally, finally, finally bringing this project into being is deafening!
Bring on the street arts!
*except heaps of stuff. Can I suggest going on a 10 day graffiti rampage in the greater Wellington area and emailing me all footage/photos? Just a thought...