Ara provides prominent 'canvas' for Flare festival mural

_{Haser gets his work underway at Ara}

An artist at the forefront of the graffiti and street art scene is bringing his expertise to Ara Institute of Canterbury during the Flare Ōtautahi Street Art Festival.

Running until 9 March, the event will see seven headline works created around the city as well as pop-ups, workshops, walks and jams spanning all aspects of street art culture.

One of the featured artworks, set to grace a prominent space on Ara’s City campus is being created by Kairau ‘Haser’ Bradley, a Māori artist of Ngāpuhi descent.

Bradley is one of a handful of artists at the forefront of the graffiti and street art scene in New Zealand exhibiting and representing Aotearoa at events across the globe for the past 20 years.

He said the as-yet untitled work depicts his observation of Ōtautahi as an outsider and shows his admiration for the resilience and rise of a city that has had more than its fair share of pain.

“The thinking I've had behind this work is that bad things shouldn’t happen for something good to come from it, but we must find good in the bad if we are to learn and grow.

“On either side of the wall will stand two pou, which represent the whenua that was split down the middle in the Christchurch earthquakes,” he said. "In the middle flows the blood of the city and with the use of the poutama patterning, is suggestive of a city that is steadfast in its journey to grow back and rise even stronger."

Another key element, in the middle of the work, is a pātiki (flounder) which represents manaakitanga (kindness and generosity), making its way through the cracks and presenting itself as the gift from the chaos.

Ara art curator Julie Humby said having an example of his work on campus was “a special opportunity”. “‘Haser’ brings a distinctive perspective that merges traditional Māori culture with contemporary urban art. His works are not just visual expressions; they are narratives that explore hope, connection, identity and his cultural heritage,” she said.

Mid-project, the artist will be presenting a talk to ākonga (students) and kaimahi (staff) on campus sharing his experiences in the design world.

Associate Director of Māori Achievement Tate Tiatia said Ara’s involvement with the festival aligned with a key principle of the institute's Framework for Māori Achievement: to build partnerships to enhance campus environments.

She said the narrative in Bradley’s work spoke to Ara’s values of Hono (Connect), Aroha (Respect) and Hihiri (Inspire). “But having the artist speak about his vision with ākonga is the ultimate for us as it has a real synergy with our strategic plan to provide positive experiences through kaupapa and mātauranga Māori.”

Humby agreed the exposure to an artist of ‘Haser’s’ calibre was itself a taonga.

“His ability to fuse the boldness of graffiti with the depth of Māori symbolism will inspire a fresh and meaningful dialogue with Ara ākonga and kaimahi, between past and present, tradition and innovation,” she said.

She added that the work, generously funded by the festival and its sponsors would be a powerful contribution to Ara’s portfolio of art works.

The mural on the Barbados Street wall of Ara’s Whareora building will be complete by the end of the festival on 9 March.