Award-winning Mural Unveiled In Invercargill

Southland artist, Deow Owen, has unveiled his award-winning mural titled, ‘The Journey of the Pīwakawaka’, in Invercargill's CBD.

Deow was one of ten winners from across the country who took out the top prize in Keep New Zealand Beautiful’s Resene Nature Murals Competition 2021.

The mural is located at 103 Spey Street and shows a fantail in flight through dense, beautiful New Zealand native forest. Deow says that there are a series of abstract layers and geometric shapes in the artwork which represent the stories and structure of life here in New Zealand.

"The Pīwakawaka is the storyteller of the history of New Zealand's native forest. I want the mural to carry on the story and journey of the Pīwakawaka by protecting our native trees and shrubs that were here long before us and will be here long after we have gone."

The Resene Nature Murals Competition, which is part of the Paint New Zealand Beautiful programme, ran from April to June 2021, with artists encouraged to submit mural designs which included an environmental message. Artists from around the country sent in their designs, with the top ten murals selected based on their environmental message, enhancement of the community, and originality/creativity. Artists then have 12 months to bring their mural to life.

Winning designs receive a $1000 grant upon completion, along with a $750 Resene paint voucher and other materials to paint their mural.

Keep New Zealand Beautiful CEO, Heather Saunderson, said: "Our Nature Murals Competition is getting more popular every year. This is the fifth year we've run the competition in partnership with Resene, and once again we've been overwhelmed with not only the quantity, but the quality of the entries we've received. We know the benefits that beautification of public spaces can have on local communities, so we're always excited to see it when these murals come to life.”

The ten winning artists and regions are listed below, with their designs visible on the Keep New Zealand Beautiful website.

• Brigita Mana Botma, Our Next Generation, Auckland
• Corey Harbrow, Game Over, Christchurch
• Denise Fort, Let’s Grow Together, Raglan
• Deow Owen, The Journey of the Pīwakawaka, Waianiwa
• Faye Chadburn, Circalunar Rhythm, Tauranga
• Jennifer Corbett, Feed Me, Taranaki
• Joel Nicholls, Water Water Every Where, Auckland
• Louie Zalk-Neale, Matairangi, Wellington
• Mark Noble, U R Nature, Rotorua
• Stanley Mans, Nourish Nature Naturally, Hastings

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