City wall murals in ocean health theme

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Large-scale murals that focus on ocean health are soon to appear throughout the CBD when the Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans project comes to Gisborne this month.

A lineup of artists from Switzerland, South Africa, USA, Mexico, Hawaii and Australia will join local talent to paint murals on walls in the city and at Tolaga Bay.

Town and township will be transformed by diverse artworks that explore ocean issues such as over- fishing, plastics and pollution, global climate change and habitat loss, says co-ordinator Kelly Spencer.

Former Gisborne woman, freelance illustrator, artist and designer Kelly Spencer is regional co-ordinator for the project.

“We look forward to bringing this festival to the people of Tairawhiti, who already have a deep and personal relationship with the ocean.”

Most of the 21 artists will paint murals on Gisborne’s walls on October 5-15. On October 16-18 a handful of artists will paint murals in Tolaga Bay.

Among them will be Miss Spencer, who last year spray-painted vivid, typographical design on a Tyndall Road Chorus cabinet as part of another project.

Sea Walls is Hawaii-based organisation PangeaSeed Foundation’s not-for-profit, public art programme that takes the message of ocean conservation into streets around the globe. Since 2014, PangeaSeed has created more than 300 murals in 12 countries.

PangeaSeed Foundation founder Tré Packard says the organisation has a special affinity with New Zealand.

“Many of our artists who have been with us since inception are from New Zealand. In 2016, we held Aotearoa’s first SeaWalls in Napier and then again in 2017, and now the town has more than 50 murals.”

PangeaSeed’s programme includes connecting international artists with the local environment, so the group will take part in a reef tour at Tatapouri.

The Sea Walls festival is run entirely on funding, sponsorship and love, organisers say. The project needs volunteers for general assistance. If you can help, contact Kelly Spencer at kelly@pangeaseed.org.

The project begins on Saturday at 3pm at Toihoukura School of Maori visual arts and design. An exhibition to showcase the artists, and Gisborne artists who focus on environmental issues, opens at Toihoukura on Saturday at 6pm. On October 10, the Dome Cinema will host a panel discussion and screening of Chasing Coral at 6pm.