At risk youth shown fine art of mural painting

Bachelor of Design graduate Ranga Tuhi and second-year fine arts student Tyler Dixon have collaborated on a mural project aimed at helping at risk youth in Wellington.

The youth, deemed to be at risk, are referred by Wellington Police to the project that is run by the Consultancy Advocacy and Research Trust.

While none of the youth, aged between 16-18, were expected to have an artistic background, an interest in the arts was necessary for them to enjoy their work creating a mural that tells the legend of how Wellington harbour came into being, Mr Tuhi says.

“Wellington harbour is said to have been the work of two great taniwha called Whaitaitai (also pronounced as Hataitai, and where the suburb gets its name) and Ngake.”

The project, which ran two days a week over a month, saw the youth gradually realise the legend, with Mr Tuhi and Ms Dixon adding the finishing touches.

The mural has now been fixed to a wall that runs alongside the premises belonging to the trust at Myrtle Crescent in Newtown.

“This project is also a pilot for future murals within the Wellington region targeting those areas that are usually tagged by youths,” Mr Tuhi says.

Mr Tuhi (Waikato, Ngati Maniopoto) has also made his name as a carver as well as graphic artist. Ms Dixon, (Tuhoi, Waikato, Ngati Porou and Ngai Tahu) has just completed her second year as part of the Toi Atea Contemporary Maori Art and Design course at Massey.