Eketahuna chippy goes 3D with mural

Lisa and Ryan Seator of Eketahuna outside their ever-evolving painted takeaway shop, Ryli's Kiwi Kai. PHOTO/EMILY NORMAN

Ryli's Kiwi Kai takeaway shop on the main street of Eketahuna is the talk of town, not just for its famous Eke Burger but also for its new 3D Kiwiana paint job.

A burger wearing red bands, and a tomato sauce waterfall are only some of the quirky features included in the fish and chips landscape on the outside of the new takeaway shop, painted by Eketahuna-based artist Mark Watson.

Eketahuna-based artist Mark Watson has unleashed Kiwiana art on a takeaway shop in the main street of Eketahuna. PHOTO/EMILY NORMAN

Watson said his graffiti-inspired 3D artwork on Ryli's Kiwi Kai is just the beginning of what potentially could revolutionise the whole town.

"When you think of Tirau you think of the tearooms and the corrugated animals and things like that," he said.

"I would like people to think of Eketahuna as a big colourful art Mecca."

Watson has used "a little over" 40 cans to paint the mural, which will be 3D upon completion. He is the only artist in Australasia that specialises in ChromaDepth 3D works.

"Eventually there'll be a whole lot of 3D glasses that will be down at the fish and chip shop so while customers are waiting for their food they can have a good look at the mural too," Watson said.

Because the mural is painted using 3D techniques, when people view Watson's art through ChromaDepth 3D glasses, "the image will actually jump out of the wall".

"A lot of the colour choices respond to the 3D effect because things like red will come to the foreground and blues will recede," he said.

"So there was quite a bit of planning that went on for the piece as far as getting it to work in 3D."

Mr and Mrs Seator who opened the takeaway shop at the start of December said "some people have only just discovered [they] exist" because of the vibrant paint job which was started about a week ago.

"Mark approached us and asked if we were interested in doing one wall," Mr Seator said.

"He wanted to use it as a demonstration of his work to get it out there, and we said, 'Well, you can't stop at one wall -- you might as well do the whole thing.'

"Now you can see our shop from every part of town. It just catches your eye and draws attention straight to it."

Mrs Seator said their new business venture has definitely exceeded their expectations: "We're open 4pm until 8ish Wednesday to Sunday ... We say 8ish because if we're busy we just keep on cooking."

She said their signature order, the Eke Burger, has been in high demand from both residents and people passing through the town.

"It comes with meat patty, beetroot, coleslaw, onion, cheese, pineapple, steak, egg, sauce and bacon -- it's something you don't eat in public," she said.

Watson intends to cover the entire church and hall in 3D murals and has had some interest from other local businesses.

To see more of his work, visit REV Gallery, which is situated at the old Eketahuna Presbyterian Church.