Some of the CBD's streets and walls are being given a cosmopolitan dress-up by some of the world's finest street artists.
'It's a chance for Tauranga to position itself as a city with a rich arts scene,” says Tourism Bay of Plenty's Kath Low. Blank central city walls will become canvases, murals and works of art as part of Paradox:Tauranga Street Art Festival, which start next Tuesday, March 28.
Artists like Lucy McLauchlan is transforming a wall of the Brooklyn Bar and Grill on the corner of The Strand and Hamilton St. It's Lucy's first outing in New Zealand and the work will be one of her signature monochromatic pieces.
The British-born artist's work is in galleries and museums as well as gracing multi-storeyed buildings across Europe, gigantic billboards in China, carparks in Detroit and abandoned subway tunnels in New York.
Meanwhile, five fellow artists will transform other pockets of the city with their work. They are renowned Auckland graffiti and street artist Askew One, who will be working in Masonic Park at the back of the Public Art Gallery, Sofles from Brisbane will be at 176 Cameron Rd, Jacob Yikes from Christchurch at the Spring St carpark, Sydney's Fintan Magee at the Grey St service lane, and Charles and Janine Williams, also from Auckland, at Dive Crescent.
All will be substantial pieces – some several storeys tall and another just one storey but long. All will become permanent features around town. And the public has a chance to watch the work evolve. It will take just 30 to 45 minutes to walk between all of the works.
Several artists will also be creating new work in Tauranga Art Gallery itself for the 11-week paradox street art – three large murals and four installations including a virtual reality work.
The showpiece will be the ‘Oi YOU! Collection' – which is 22 works by Banksy, a political artist and arguably the world's most prominent street artist. It's the first time a major collection of works by the world's most talked-about artist has been on show in the North Island.
'We hope the festival will attract people from around the country – and even the world – to Tauranga,” says festival artistic director George Shaw. 'I believe the chance to view a Banksy collection is a massive drawcard.”
Banksy is back in the international gaze after the unveiling of his latest installation – called ‘The Walled Off Hotel' – his first major work for two years The hotel is just five metres from the security wall that divides Israel from the Palestinian West Bank and is decorated with dozens of new politically-charged artworks for which Banksy's renowned.
It's hoped the free exhibition will draw people to the gallery who'd not normally visit. 'This high-profile event, which has been created for residents and visitors alike, easily matches with events on an international stage,” says Tauranga City Council's Jaine Lovell-Gadd.