Graffiti artist invite causes uproar
By PAUL CHARMAN | Friday, 16 March 2007


Artist Eric Orr is in New Zealand for the Auckland Festival AK07 and will demonstrate his skills next week at the Fergusson Oaks Reserve, Otara.

He will be painting the performance stage, which was part of the Manukau City Council exhibit at last year's Ellerslie International Flower Show and now permanently in the reserve.

Orr is famous for collaborating with graffiti-pop artist Keith Haring on a series of New York subway station drawings in the mid-1980s.

But Bucklands and Eastern Beaches Ratepayers and Residents Association chairwoman Shirley Warren says: "Surely the last thing we need to do is to advertise and legitimise graffiti."

Mrs Warren says Orr may be a recognised artist but his visit to Manukau sends out the wrong message.

"Ratepayers currently spend around a million dollars a year to remove graffiti, although total cost to residents, ratepayers and businesses is probably several times that," she says.

"The association is constantly being contacted by residents distressed at damage done to their properties."

Association members patrol every Friday and Saturday night until 4am, which Mrs Warren says has helped reduce the problem.

"Our residents are annoyed at having to constantly remove the paint that defaces our ward and gives out the wrong messages to visitors and tourists.

"We do not believe that these vandals need any encouragement or glorifying of their occupation."

Manukau City Council director of community Ian Maxwell says it is lucky to have someone of Orr's calibre coordinating the painting of the performance stage on March 22, 23 and 24.

"Tagging is a huge problem in Manukau and we hope that having Eric Orr and local artists using graffiti art in a positive way will help ensure that this fantastic performance space doesn't end up covered in tagging within a few days," says Mr Maxwell.

For more information on Eric Orr's demonstration at Fergusson Oaks Reserve, phone: 262-5292