612 days ago

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

Caroline Williams Reporter from Western Leader

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.

Jensen 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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Let emotion drive you.

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Discover why emotion is our driving force. Experience the thrilling performance, stunning design and amazing value of CUPRA. Book a test drive now. Find out more

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2 hours ago

Staying home over the break?

Toka Tū Ake EQC

The long weekend is the perfect time to make your place safer for an earthquake with these steps:

• Find out where you can turn off your water and gas mains
• Check your chimney for any signs of wear and tear, or damage
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• Move heavy items that are up high to safer, lower down locations.
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These simple actions can keep your whānau safer in case of a big shake, so tick them off and make the most of your break.
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Bob Francis Wins Senior New Zealander Of The Year

Miriam Corban Retirement Village

Seven-term Mayor of Masterton, Bob Francis CNZM QSO MBE JP, has been named the 2024 Ryman Healthcare Senior New Zealander of the Year Te Mātāpuputu o te Tau.

Affectionately dubbed ‘Mr Wairarapa’, Bob has served his community in multiple areas, including health services, commercial development, the arts, aviation, homelessness, conservation and sports.

Bob’s award signifies the sixth time Ryman Healthcare has supported this category of the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards, which provides a fantastic opportunity to celebrate Kiwi seniors who continue to make positive contributions towards the future of Aotearoa.

Click read more for the full article.

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