Auckland New Zealand is eclectic and modern city visually enhanced with street art and sculpture. You would be hard-pressed to find a business district in the city that didn’t have some sort of public art. Auckland street art ranges from classic painting to modern graffiti-like styles. Similarly, the city’s sculpture covers a range from traditional Maori carvings to funky and contemporary strands blowing in the wind. Each year, Auckland Art Week (October) brings it all together.
As art is visual, let me take you on a virtual Auckland street art tour through photography.
Auckland Art Week is in October. It is a great time to discover New Zealand art, either on your own or through a free walking tour. Auckland offers a variety of art tour options each year, sponsored primarily by Heart of the City.
Auckland Street Art
The Auckland Street Art tour is one we can do annually, as street art is an ever-changing medium. Always a bit different, it is generally my highlight of Auckland Art Week. The tour features permanent and temporary works that highlight various stages of the progression of street art from the illegal tagging of the 90s through today’s frequently sponsored and often commissioned Auckland Street Art.
If you are in New Zealand, any other time of year, you might enjoy this Auckland tour:
⇒ Check pricing and availability on the Auckland Street Art Walking Tour
Some of my favourite examples of Auckland Street Art:
Inner City Life is what the full piece of art reads. By Jonny 4Higher, this spray painting is one of several graffiti artworks that were once displayed on containers at Queen’s Wharf.
This is one of 16 New Zealand bird murals painted by Flox (Hailey King) in the Britomart car park. The image painted here is a critically endangered takahe, a bird I have been lucky enough to see twice, once on Tiritiri Matangi, and later at Zealandia in Wellington.
On the side of Mexico, a restaurant in Britomart, this piece is a good example of paste-up paper art, tailing on from the days in which it street art was illegal. It was quicker to do part of the art on paper and then paste it up.
More Auckland Street Art
Our guide Eleanor shares some of the background on this Tongan-influenced piece by Benjamin Work entitled: Tu’i ‘o e ngaahi Tu’i. It is on Fort Lane, just outside the sloping Everybody’s Bar. The area has an interesting history found here.
“Lane Change” is a relief piece by John Radford on Mills Lane.
An artwork of chalk on the wall outside of one of my favourite restaurants in Auckland.
This Auckland street art was commissioned for the 2014 Art Week and is a collaboration between Askew One, Elliot Francis Stewart and Gary Silipa.
For more great street art from around the world, check out these coffee table books:
Highlights of an Auckland Street Art Tour in 2016
In 2016 Heart of the City commissioned several talented New Zealand artists to create hearts for the city including Dick Frizzell, Askew One, Sara Hughes, Chris Heaphy, and Flox.
This Dragon by Chris Heaphy is on Federal Street. Notice the Maori warrior proudly standing on the whisker of the dragon and the European on horseback upon the claw.
This spray chalk and stencil carpet is a collaborative effort by several artists. The rain has been a huge challenge to this particular piece. Multiple reapplications were needed. It represents the tapestry of our lives and ancestors.
A mosaic memorial at the port where the Rainbow Warrior was sunk in 1985.
Entitled “Just a Wee Drop” also by Elliot Francis Stewart, this is hubby’s favourite example of Auckland street art.
Auckland Waterfront Artwork and Sculptures
Another year, another Auckland Art Week, another free walking tour. In 2014 we enjoyed a Waterfront Artwork and Sculpture tour as well as another Auckland street art tour.
These seven Pou (carved wooden posts) by Chris Bailey represent family, according to our guide.
This fountain, shaped like a dormant volcano, sits outside of Britomart, Auckland’s main transportation hub, over the train tunnels. In the winter steam rises from the centre when trains pass.
Fire Window by American Artist Eric Orr, 1996. The water runs down the steel sides, and at night flames are visible on the top.
The Flooded Mirror by Rachel Shearer. Hubby looks and listens as this art is about the sound that is heard through the vents as the water passes under the bridge.
“A Maori Figure in a Kaitaka Cloak” sculptured by Molly Macalister. The unconfirmed story told by one of our guides is that this piece was originally commissioned to sit outside of Britomart, but people wanted a more traditionally dressed warrior to a cloaked warrior, so it was moved.
All photos on this page ©Rhonda Albom. All rights reserved.
Practical Information on Auckland Street Art and Sculpture
- Auckland Art Week annually falls in October. It’s a colourful event encompassing much of the city with free walking tours, gallery exhibits, workshops, and lectures. It’s a coming together of all things artistic in the city.
- Sponsored by Heart of the City, many of the free walking tours and some of the other events require registration. See their official website.
- Auckland Artweek events take place at over 100 venues in ten neighbourhoods throughout Auckland.
- There are many very talented New Zealand artists. I hope you have discovered a few new favourites today.
More Street Art and Sculpture from Around the World
It’s no secret that I love street art. I search it out when we travel, I photograph it, and I share it here on Albom Adventures. If you are also a fan, check out these articles featuring some of my favourite collections:
- Christchurch Street Art Uplifts NZ’s Post-Quake City
- Bizarre Wellington Street Sculptures are Colorful Fun
- K Road Urban Art in Progress
- Interesting Newmarket Sculptures: More Auckland Art
- Explore Melbourne Street Art and Graffiti Laneways
- Discovering Street Art in Perth, Australia
- Plus a Street Art Around the World collaboration series featuring sample from New Zealand and Australia, Europe, Canada and United States, Central and South America, and Asia.
Have you had a chance to take a walk amongst the Auckland street art and sculptures? Which Auckland Artweek events peak your interest?
If you enjoyed this article, please share it on social media, including Pinterest. The two images here:
- An interesting typeface street artwork on Mills Lane in Auckland.
- These colourful ribbons and bells are from the artist, Tiffany Singh.
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I really enjoyed reading your post. I thought your post was beautifully written. Many thanks for sharing!
Thanks.
I like the ribbons and bells the best. Does someone come back later and take it all down? My 2nd favorite is the spray chalk and stencil “carpet” which I imagine is quite a challenge to execute in rainy weather. I’ve seen a lot of paste up art before but always considered it more along the lines of advertising than artful expression.
I was wondering the same. I don’t know if it is a temporary or permanent piece of art. The chalk carpets are temporary and will wash away in the rain.
This is the type of event I would have loved to have gone to. We discovered Laneways in Melbourne —they’re very cool, and they tried to introduce them in Brissy. cheers from Kid can doodle!
We are headed your way in a few days. Melbourne is our first stop.
Awesome! I really loved Auckland each time I visited and hope to be back there. I think I actually remember seeing some really funky art around town, I mostly love modern art so this would be a great event to attend. Shame that it’s on the other side of the world for me though…
Yes, Auckland has lots of fun and funky art, especially if you headed up to K-road or Ponsonby.
Love the music of the 70’s walkway and the ribbons. Love it all
The music posters was a fun surprise when we turned the corner.
I love that it encompasses all kinds of art. I like street art and murals, but I like to see other forms as well. I really liked the bonsai art!
I only went to two of several different Artweek tours. Last year I went to one on Maori art and another on architecture.
Great street art gives a city character. I love visiting places with great street art – feels like I’m getting a glimpse into the city’s soul. Thanks for sharing!
If this is true, than Auckland has a lot of interesting character 🙂
I love artistic events! Great mix of art here, wish I was closer:)
Auckland is a great city for to visit.
Very colorful and ingenious! I like the heart theme and the different display on the floor. Seems like a cool event to attend with the entire family.
The hearts are pretty cool and perfect for the Heart of the City campaign.
I love cities with great street art! I need to put Auckland on my list. Great post, thanks for sharing :0
Auckland is a great city for many reasons. Art is only one of them.
I never knew Auckland was so artsy! This week of events sounds like so much fun! I love taking art tours, as I’m not very good at figuring out the message behind art myself, so this looks like something I would love to take part in! 😀
I am the same, and I get so much of these tours.
Great to see pics of auckland, I lived there for a year and had a great time 🙂
It is a great city. I have been here for over 13 years.
I love that chalk carpet! Art down on the ground always catches my eye.
Me too. I was only sorry they made it with chalk, as it it springtime with too much rain.
I love these kinds of events that get a whole city involved in art and that make it accessible to everyone. they are usually also pretty kid-friendly, too.
They did have a few kid-focused art events this week.
I love the dragon! I thought it was Chinese, and I never would have noticed the Maori warrior or the European on horseback if you didn’t point them out. I love those details.
LOL – that is exactly what I thought as I listened to our tour guide. I never would though noticed either if she hadn’t pointed them out.
I saw the Rainbow Warrior Mosaic a few years ago when I was in Auckland, but would love to be there for the Street Art Festival – there are some amazing pieces. I love all the Hearts for the ‘Heart of the City’ – they’re really cute!
I also love the hearts, especially when I come upon one I hadn’t seen before, or one I forgot about until I found it.
Love street art. One of my favorite activities to check out in a new city. So many cities have a growing scene. Just spent time in Belgrade, and did a fantastic street art tour, with most of the street art made in the last few years. Auckland has some impressive pieces of art too!
Auckland has really gotten behind the art scene.
Really love it how they have even included the roadway. Street art really is developing a life of it’s own now isn’t it. Great photos, great celebration of something that is so col.
This is really a wonderful outlet for creative people. In Bangalore too we have some thing similar, but is is held just once a year! But the idea is catching on small streets too put up similar such displays.
Artweek is once a year, well one-week per year. Some of the art is temporary, others is permanent, and there all year.
I love that city laneways are invigorated by artwork. It keeps the city alive and attracts locals and visitors alike.
Agreed. We spend a lot more time walking laneways off the beaten path than we would if they didn’t have the art.
I love street art and it makes me so happy that more and more cities are getting covered with it. One of my favorite cities is Gorgetown, Penang.
Me too. It really brightens up a city.
It’s all amazing! But I really love sidewalk art. I hope the rain didn’t keep washing it away. #wkendtravelinspiration
It rained quite a bit yesterday so I imagine today, the last day of Artweek, that most of that chalk is gone. Too bad they didn’t do it with something a bit more permanent.
I really like the Tiffany Singh ribbons – there’s just something about art installations like hers that appeal to me. Looks like an incredible week of art!
Her ribbons looked so beautiful blowing in the wind, with the gentle dinging of the bells that were attached to the ribbons.
Awesome – as an ex Aucklander I love this sort of thing, I love how much happens during art work right across the city. Great to get behind the up and coming artists and support the arts as a major industry.
As an ex-Aucklander, do you get back here often? You should plan your next visit for artweek.
oh I wish that I had seen all that, Auckland city always seems to have so much going on, in a good way 🙂
It’s not too late, it’s still on this weekend. Although the rain has probably destroyed the chalk art, the rest will still be there. There are more free tours today and tomorrow.
I find street art to be quite interesting. I can love it or I can hate it. But it certainly always brightens up any town! #Wkendtravelinspiration
I completely agree. I didn’t used to like it so much, and I am not sure when I changed. But now I love it.
So many wonderful artworks! Which was your favourite? We’re on our way back from Venice and there’s an amazing mix of contemporary art and old masters
My favourites are the hearts as I just like the concept of the hearts of the city appearing all over in random places.
Very colourful and festive! I really like the chalk and patterns on the ground. Don’t you just hate when there’s something really cool to photograph but is impossible to capture properly.
I spent so long trying to capture that pink heart that the tour guide had stopped talking and the entire group had walked around the corner and through the square. Good thing they missed the traffic light or I would have lost them forever 🙂
cool street art!:)
I thought so too 🙂
Fun ! Thanks for sharing! Every city is so unique. Love how it is even taken down to the ground level,
I thought it was pretty cool that they did the street level this year too.
Wonderful variety! I’m partial to dragons, but they’re all nifty things. Thanks for the tour; enjoyed from here in San Jose.
I like all of the hearts. Which San Jose? California, Costa Rica or somewhere else?
Enjoyed the Art Walk in Auckland this week via your blog. It was so exciting!
Thanks JM.
The heart is awesome!
Which heart is your favorite?
I love the dragon and the colorful heart indeed 😘😘😘. Happy WW and cheers from NYC 🙂
I like the colors and symbolism in the dragon heart.
Love all the great colors. Great shots as always.
Have a fabulous day. ☺
Thanks Sandee.
Some of it is so simple, yet beautiful.
The temporary works need to be simple.
What awesome artwork!
Auckland is so open to it.
I love all the hearts! Have a lovely day!
Me too. They are just fun to come around a corner and find one.
I love the 2nd one down. I always wonder how long it lasts though. I’d think with people walking, cars driving and snow scooping it wouldn’t last long. It’s so cool though! The ribbons and circle bouquets are really neat too!
This particular laneway didn’t seem to have any cars, and we never get snow in Auckland. (I shouldn’t say never, we did once get a light layer, but it was gone in a few hours, if that long.
I love all of it!!
Thanks Jackie.
I walked by that tree with the bells yesterday. The gentle ringing is really cool.
I thought it sounded sort of mystical.
Nothing like walking along a street looking at Art
I agree. I am a huge fan of street art, and love coming upon it in any city.
You’ve convinced us! We’re coming to Auckland. D is just waiting on a confirmation on our accommodation in Hastings and then he will book the airfares. If you are around in February we have to get together and you can tell us all the things we should be doing in your beautiful city.
Yay! We should be here in February, as Sarah comes home after a year in Argentina mid-January. She is going to need a break before we travel again. Let’s talk soon! So excited to meet you.
Love the array of colorful street art! It’s a shame that the chalk and stencil carpet has to be reapplied after it rains. You can see all of the creativity that went into this project.
That is exactly what I was thinking. It just seems like too much work to do for something that doesn’t last.
I am going on one of the heritage tours next weekend. I am looking forward to it.
Oh cool. I wish I had signed up for that one too.
I love all the hearts around the city.
There are five now, but I imagine there will be more in years to come.
Wow, Walking those streets must have been fun. Super cool. Great pics and thanks for sharing.
I love just walking around Auckland. There is always something new.
It’s always a pleasure to walk in streets filled with amazing artwork. Beautiful pictures 🙂 We are going to have Sculpture by the Sea soon in Sydney.
I went to Sculptures by the Sea about 5 years ago. It was wonderful and full of such creativity. Enjoy.
Beautiful street art.I like the colourful ribbons much.Just pretty and creative!
The ribbons have bells on the ends and they sound so delicate and pretty when you walk by.
Moss spheres. Never seen anything like that.
I really dig the first one with the dragon.
I was glad to be on a tour when she pointed out the moss spheres, as I probably wouldn’t have walked down that particular laneway otherwise.