804 days ago

Auckland street artist 'at war' with taggers who keep vandalising his work

Caroline Williams Reporter from North Shore Times

An Auckland street artist says he is “at war” with taggers who keep vandalising his work.

Jesse Jensen​, who paints under the name Ares Artifex​, has painted murals across Auckland, including for Auckland Council, the Department of Conservation and the Ministry of Justice.

The West Auckland resident said work like his helped to beautify ugly places, such as bare walls and construction sites.

However, this year Jensen has been battling “toys”, or graffiti artists who tag over someone else’s art with the intention of wrecking it. One of his pieces in Henderson has been tagged about 30 times.

Jensen said that while it was frustrating for him and his clients when his art was vandalised, he had empathy for the taggers and understood why they did it: to lash out at someone who had permission to paint legally.

He believed Auckland Council could curb offensive tagging if it provided more space for graffiti artists to paint legally. The council said it trialled this in the past, however the graffiti had spread onto adjacent properties.

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10 days ago

Poll: What special qualities should a 5-star New Zealand airport hotel at our largest international airport have?

Pullman Novotel

Te Arikinui Pullman Auckland Airport is New Zealand’s only 5-star airport hotel, given its incredibly close proximity to the airport, the convenience of walking to the airport is a major highlight but there are plenty of other features that make it special. Find out more

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What special qualities should a 5-star New Zealand airport hotel at our largest international airport have?
  • 5.7% Unmatched runway views with a private lounge
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  • 45.1% Exceptional service from arrival to departure
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  • 4.5% Gourmet dining featuring New Zealand's finest, celebrating Te Ao Māori kai
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  • 6.4% Māori culture reflected throughout, creating an architectural marvel
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264 votes
10 hours ago