Those of you who regularly read my blog know that I have often used graffiti-style pictures in it that have been painted on walls, utility boxes, and other public places around Auckland. Some of these were used as headers and others were included in the body of the post. I used this picture not long ago.
I never knew before who had done these paintings. I didn't even know if they were all done by the same person. I did some research though, after showing you this one and discovered the identity of the artist. Wow, has he been busy.
The site below will give you information on him and show you many of his works. You'll recognise some of them from past posts I'm sure.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/entertainment/photo-gallery-auckland-straight-nz-graffiti-artist-paul-walsh-chats-our-art-scene-reveals-his-new-memorial-piece
The reason I bring him up now is that I was on K' Road just three days ago and I walked past the Rock Shop wall that had featured a young Aretha Franklin. I noticed that it had been painted over. This is the new mural.
That kiwi bird is very well done, and I realize that it's an important memorial, but I miss seeing the 'Queen of Soul' on that wall. I've got the solution... click below for an Aretha who is a little older than she was portrayed on the Rock Shop wall, and at her very best...
That kiwi bird is very well done, and I realize that it's an important memorial, but I miss seeing the 'Queen of Soul' on that wall. I've got the solution... click below for an Aretha who is a little older than she was portrayed on the Rock Shop wall, and at her very best...
The reflection in the eye of the kiwi is of Christchurch and its mosque.
This is located very near the Symonds Street end of K' Road.
At the other end of K' Road, just about at Ponsonby, this new mural has also appeared. At the very center of the picture, a square has been left that shows a tiny section of the mural that had been on this wall for years. I never took a picture of the original because I didn't intend to use it for a post. You might say it would have been suggestive of an R-rating if it had been a movie, and I think of my blog as PG at most. But I like that the artist saved an innocuous portion of it.
One of the pictures that you might have noticed on Paul Walsh's website is this one. The real thing is located here, right next to the mural just above.
I read, while doing the research for this post, that Paul has also done a lot of work in Rotorua. (He grew up there.) I'll be on the look-out the next time we get down that way and show you some of what he's painted in his home town, 'sulfur city.' -djf
Very interesting! Thanks Doug!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed learning about this very talented artist and seeing some of his work in the story you linked. Seems like the K-Road Rockshop must be his workshop or is it really a rock shop? Have you ever gone inside it? Too bad some of his works are painted over like the Aretha portrait (I did enjoy the YouTube video though).
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I've seen some of his work during one or more of my last three visits and I keep wondering if the utility box painting by the playground down by the duck pond is one of his.
I've never been in the K' Road Rock Shop, but bought Amiri a ukelele years ago in Henderson's. They sell guitars, drums, keyboard, pianos, etc.
ReplyDeleteI think it's likely that the painting you're referring to is one of his.