The Karori Mural Steering Group is celebrating the completion of a new mural on Karori Road.
Karori Community Mural, by Ruth Robertson Taylor and Ian Taylor in collaboration with Karori students (2016)
The Karori Mural Steering Group is celebrating the completion of a new mural on Karori Road at St Ninian’s Uniting Church, Saturday 7 May, 11am. The mural has brought life to a large retaining wall with giant native birds taking flight.
The mural was developed by professional artists Ruth Robertson Taylor and Ian Taylor in collaboration with students from six Karori Schools – Samuel Marsden Collegiate, St Teresa’s, Cardinal McKeefry, Makara Model, Karori Normal and Karori West – with advice and guidance from the Mural Steering Group comprising representatives from Karori’s wider community.
Ruth and Ian workshopped with the school students brainstorming ideas for the mural and investigating renowned NZ artist and Karori resident, E Mervyn Taylor’s practice.
The first thing that came to the students when thinking about their suburb was birds! Students also mentioned prominent built features like the tunnel, windmill, library and Futuna Chapel, Karori’s Maori history as it is widely believed to be a place that iwi travelled through to hunt for food, and famous Wellington author Katherine Mansfield who grew up in Karori.
Ruth and Ian wove all those aspects – birds, architecture, people, and the children’s artwork – into a design that tells the tale of Karori from its past to the present.