A new mural on an often-tagged wall in Papakura is not just a way to combat graffiti but is also providing a series of colourful 'insta' worthy backdrops.
Designed for Instagram, the mural is titled Insta-Active with the panels created by Cypress Iles, supported by Ken Parry, Wilz Leonard, Richie Kennedy-Walker, Nelly Parry and Nate Thompson.
“I like the idea of using my art to tap into an online trend for my generation,” Iles says. “This is an opportunity to have my work shared through a worldwide digital medium.”
Auckland Council teamed up with Manukau Beautification Charitable Trust and The Corner: Creative Space on the project to transform the Davis car park site behind McDonalds. Papakura Local Board also supported the initiative by granting landowner approval.
Auckland Council graffiti advisor Helen Smith says the community-led initiative highlights what can be done by working with young artists.
“Beautification is a key factor in wellbeing and we were really proud to support this initiative, which is a great example of how prevention outcomes can be achieved through utilising the skills and insights of young, local artists to achieve a unique interactive mural for everyone to enjoy.”
Murals are becoming popular across Papakura with 20 large-scale artworks going up across the community since 2018.
The creators hope people will embrace new technology such as Depalo; a smartphone app that helps users find ‘the best Instagrammable murals’ using GPS coordinates, to take the mural to a wider audience.
