New look for Rotorua lane

An inner city wall that was once an "eyesore" is getting a new look with a bright new mural.

Hamilton-based artist Jeremy Shirley has been commissioned by the Rotorua Lakes Council to paint a mural on the wall of a lane between Quest Hotel and Jay Car electronics store on Hinemoa St, as part of Rotorua's Inner City Revitalisation and Creative Communities strategies.

021214sp3 Artist Jeremy Shirley has been commissioned by Rotorua Lakes Council to paint a mural on the wall of a lane between Quest Hotel and Jay Car electronics store in Hinemoa Street.

Mr Shirley, whose family live at Okere Falls, was enjoying the experience of doing the mural and had received positive comments from people passing by, he said.

"People are really happy to see it, it's like a renovation. A mural can really bring light to an ugly, forgotten area," he said yesterday.

He said said his work would be a bold contemporary piece with clean lines, and would have universal imagery.

"The symbols in the artwork are open to interpretation and are universal. This is a style I've used at the Te Awamutu Museum and on bus shelters in Hamilton, and I'll soon be creating a large similar-styled piece for the Auckland waterfront."

Mr Shirley started work on Monday and is hoping to have the artwork completed by the end of next week.

Inner City Revitalisation Portfolio lead, councillor Karen Hunt hoped the art would brighten up the area and stop taggers.

"This lane is often the subject of unwelcome tagging and can be a bit of an eyesore. So we're hoping that the new artwork will not only brighten up the area and bring another piece of art to the inner city, but will discourage graffiti as well."