Soho hole in Ponsonby transformed into art

All photos by Jane Gilkison

The Colours Of Our Community is a project directed by Mark Castle of The French Art Shop

   and sponsored by Resene paints and Progressive Enterprises.

.The walls are being painted by leading Auckland  artists .Otis  Frizzell,Karl Maughan ,  Askew O'Donnell ,Dan Tippet ,Adrian Jackman and Darryl Thompson.

This is a substantial contribution to the public art of Auckland and when all four hundred  meters of panels are  completed may be one of the largest contemporary murals in the universe.

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. The murals  depict the built and social heritage of Ponsonby ,A celebration our multiracial complexion and our colouful fauna and flora.

The first  two completed panels

Otis Frizzell, Dan Tippett, Adrian Jackman and Karl Maughan have been invited to work with The Colour of Our Community.

This is  a community-driven beautification project with support from Progressive Enterprises, the Auckland Council, Artstation, and the Ponsonby Business Association.

This is  a continuing story  of the Spirt of Ponsonby where community and art walk hand and hand.

  Each artist has been asked to design and paint a 12-metre mural which reflects the “colours of our community”, as well as becoming mentors to various local community groups who will be completing other sections of the hoardings currently surrounding the Ponsonby site known as Soho Square

Viv Rosenberg, Gerry Hill, Hemi and the artists children

Resene is the project sponsor and will underwrite most of the materials needed to complete the murals. The murals, which will stretch approximately 400m in total, will be on display during the construction phase of the development and will then be auctioned off at a charitable event.

if you are interested in this project it worth taking the Link  bus from the city and watching the work in progress,Cafes and interesting shops including The French Art Shop .

If  you want to stay a few days the best place to stay is The Great Ponsonby Art hotel

 

Not a rogues gallery but some of the most talented New  Zealanders The .artists

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