A Wandering Widow - Solo Travel: The Street Art of Glen Innes, Auckland

Tuesday, 30 January 2018

The Street Art of Glen Innes, Auckland - Bradley Lane

All over the world street art has become a popular way of bringing art to the masses. Many cities now have art trails showcasing enormous murals covering the sides of buildings - Berlin has the Dirkenstrasse area, Zagreb has at least 15 giant sized murals dotted around the city, Melbourne has murals throughout its Laneways, San Francisco has the Mission District and, of course, England has Banksy. Auckland, New Zealand has the Bradley Lane project in Glen Innes.

Artists: Askew One and Elliot Francis Stewart

Started in 2013 by local artist, Gary Silipa, who had participated in mural projects in both New Zealand and overseas and was determined to create a similar project in Glen Innes it has now been running for 5 years and is going from strength to strength. During Auckland's annual Art Week artists work on the walls of Glen Innes using them as giant canvasses for their art. People come to watch the artists at work and to view an indoor exhibition of their smaller works. There are also art talks in the spectacular Te Aro Arts Centre opposite Bradley lane.

Artist: Component

Glen Innes is a poor, working class suburb and the idea behind the project was to add life and colour to otherwise blank walls and to prevent them being tagged or graffitied. Known as the Bradley Lane project, for the small alley like street where it began, murals done by both local and international artists now grace many walls around the township bringing to the community a sense of pride.

Artist: Andrew J Steel

It is well worth visiting Glen Innes to view these murals. I live only a few kilometres away and until last weekend had never walked the alleyways and back areas to view this art. I was gob smacked. Bradley Lane is a scruffy, back-of-shops area, with rubbish dumpsters outside most buildings, a bit of litter lying around and a general down at heel air but, wow! the art! It is amazing.

Artists: Misery and TomTom

Artist: Elliot Francis Stewart

Personally I think Glen Innes is missing a trick. This project should be promoted all year round and the alleyway should be tidied up, that is the least the artists should expect. Putting it more fully on the map would bring a lot more visitors to the township. I encourage anyone interested in street art to go, you won't be disappointed just make sure you walk around every bit of the town centre, murals are everywhere, even in hidden corners and walk ways.

To get an idea of the Bradley Lane project scroll through just a few of the murals below.