Sea Walls: Murals for Oceans
'Aroha for our oceans...'
Sea Walls: Murals for Oceans was a global street art project that took place in Napier in 2016-17. Organised by the PangeaSeed Foundation, a nonprofit organisation marrying art and activism aka "ARTvisim", Napier was the first New Zealand city to feature. Gisborne followed in 2018, the latest of more than 30 projects across 15 countries which include Mexico, Canada, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the US. Three hundred and fifty murals all up.
Exactly 50 are here in Napier. Our Seawalls project took place in two stages: the first, in March 2016, saw national and international artists transform 29 blank walls in the CBD and Ahuriri. Their work poignantly addressed such issues as over-fishing, plastics and pollution, global climate change and habitat loss. It was a stunning success and so the following year NCC commissioned more artists and a further 21 murals were painted. They've become an iconic feature of the city, bringing the immensity and fragility of the world’s oceans onto our streets - and into our minds.
NCC contributed $30,000 to help bring the festival to the city. Numerous sponsors have contributed towards accommodation, food, paint, scaffolding and equipment. The artists provided their time and art for free.
