Hastings' newest mural was painted by local artist Dali Susanto, who was born in Indonesia and has lived in Aotearoa New Zealand since 2007. Photo / Supplied
Hastings' newest mural was painted by local artist Dali Susanto, who was born in Indonesia and has lived in Aotearoa New Zealand since 2007. Photo / Supplied
Voices from across the globe who have come to call Heretaunga home have contributed to the latest piece of colour across its urban walls.
A new 20m by 4m mural celebrating Hastings' local cultures and communities by local artist Dali Susanto has appeared on a wall beside Hastings Sport Centre.
The design of the "Connected Communities Wellbeing Wall" was created through collaboration between representatives of a range of multicultural community groups from within Heretaunga.
Hastings Sports Centre kaiwhakahaere Fiona Devonshire was involved in the process and said workshops were held over five months to explore what "wellbeing" meant to the participants.
"The facilitated workshops allowed people to share their stories and think about what wellbeing is via Sir Mason Durie's Te Whare Tapa Whā model that encompasses physical, mental, whānau and spiritual wellness," she said in a statement.
"The participants enjoyed sharing their stories and the feeling of connection that came about as a result."
The mural design came from five months of workshops including participants with a wide range of backgrounds who shared their understanding of "wellbeing". Photo / Supplied
The workshops were open for all to attend and included people from Filipino, Kiribas, Samoan, Punjabi, Bangladeshi, Nepali, Indonesian, Chinese, Somalian, Rawandan, Turkish, Swiss, British, Pākeha and Māori communities, who also represented a range of faiths.
Susanto, who was born in Indonesia and has lived in Aotearoa New Zealand since 2007, said he sat in the workshops and did his best to record everyone's ideas and perspectives.
He said the art incorporated mother earth, father sun, Hawke's Bay hills, community diversity and wellbeing, Pacific Islands, the mandala, meditation and involved a community effort.
"I tried to invite all my friends to see if they wanted to have a go helping, colouring in."
He said the mural art sent him out of his comfort zone because the humanoid figures were a slight departure from his more typical abstract style.
"I was trying to make that, but also still my style. I think I learnt something from this."
He said both his parents in Indonesia were artists and he had done it since he was little.
"I started off with paper and canvas and then I started doing things I was not meant to be doing like the couch, bags and jackets. I'm enjoying doing different media."
The project came from the Hastings District council Multicultural Strategy 2020-2025 aim to create and promote public art that celebrates and reflects diversity.
Hastings District Council great communities subcommittee chairwoman Eileen Lawson said this aim included supporting people of all cultures and backgrounds to feel welcome, for their identity to be respected and to have public spaces that reflect the diverse cultures that live in the city.
"This mural is a wonderful, creative example of that diversity that everyone can enjoy and feel proud of."
The mural was supported by funding received from the Ministry of Ethnic Communities.
