Stories

Wongi Wilson is a street artist with a reputation for high-quality, large-scale works in prominent positions around Christchurch. What motivates your DTR street art crew? Our motivations have changed over the years but for nearly 15 years we've pushed graffiti art productions. How is the art scene in Canterbury different now from ten years ago? The street art scene in Christchurch has become multifaceted. There are many offshoots of street art. It wasn't taken seriously as an art form ten years ago and now it is legitimate. How did you get into creating street art? It started as an interest in the sub-culture and trying to mimic what I'd seen in magazines, documentaries and movies. Along the way there were a few opportunities to develop, namely through Project Legit but besides that, it was self-motivation. READ MORE: Street art in Christchurch What was the first bit of street art you created? Was...

For everyone who’s ever sat bored through the sports or ancient history part of a pub quiz, Nomi Cohen is bringing us a thigh-slapping, head-scratching, sing-a-long musical quiz, What The Quiz is This?! What’s What The Quiz is This?! A live performance-style pub quiz. So instead of having general knowledge rounds or questions, we perform a medley of various songs and it’s the teams’ jobs to tell us what the name of the song is, who the artist is and – if it’s from a show – which show. There’s a whole bunch of rounds and categories, with a few extras on the side. How do you rate your singing ability? My mum says I’m pretty good! What’s your favourite song to sing at the top of your lungs in the car? ‘No Air’ by Jordin Sparks. I absolutely love it – it’s my absolute jam – and made better if...

A mainstay of the DTR street art crew, Dcypher cut his teeth in Canterbury before spending a decade in Los Angeles working as a freelance artist and developing mural art for TV shows like Sons of Anarchy, Silicon Valley and NCIS. Tell us about DTR. The DTR crew was formed back in the late ‘90s, predominantly graffiti artists who had similar ideals. It has had many members, but over time has been refined down to myself, Ikarus, Freak and Yikes, who are all still active today as artists in various capacities. How did you come up with the name Dcypher? The name came about when I was a teenager. It’s super cliché in hindsight, but once you’ve chosen a name you kinda have to stick to it. Graffiti can be difficult to decipher to the general public so at the time it felt like a good fit. How did you get...

A relative newcomer to the Christchurch street art scene, Jacob Root uses stencils, screens, acrylic and aerosols to create works scaling from small canvas to massive murals. Tell us a bit about your Audrey Hepburn mural – why Audrey? The Audrey Hepburn mural I designed to bring a bit of colour pop and inspiration to the corner of St Asaph Street and Manchester Street. I wanted to paint Audrey as she is a well-known figure in history, known for her glamour, acting, and what stuck out to me is that she was a major humanitarian. She was out to help improve the welfare and general happiness of people. I found that this made her really fitting for the subject of my mural because I really love to try inspire people to be happy, keep their heads up and ‘shine so bright’. What’s the story behind the vibrant yellow? I chose yellow as...

Born and raised in Ōtautahi, Mayor Lianne Dalziel has seen Christchurch rise, fall and rise again. She reflects on the rebuild and shares her vision for the future. As someone who both lives and works in the central city, I am struck every day by how much change has occurred over the past ten years. From the destruction and devastation of the earthquakes, a new central city is emerging - a city that celebrates its beautiful, meandering river – making it accessible for all. I love walking out of my office on a sunny day and seeing crowds of people enjoying the river, milling on The Terraces and outside the wonderful Riverside Market. The transformation that has occurred in the riverside areas of the central city is one of the most positive changes to come out of the earthquakes. The Ōtākaro Avon River Precinct has greatly improved our connections with the...

Christchurch-based illustrator Jacob Yikes is a staple of the city’s street art scene, and also illustrates and paints in his home studio. He’s a member of the prolific DTR street art crew. How is the Christchurch art scene different now from how it was ten years ago? There are more public artworks than there has ever been. How did you get into creating street art? I grew up painting graffiti and have always been into art as a kid. I began painting large works after the earthquakes in 2011 due to the high level of spots and walls to paint. Tell us about a piece of street art that’s inspired you. That’s a tricky one, I wouldn’t say looking at street art inspires me to paint it, to be honest. My good friend and crew mate Dcypher has always inspired me though, as he is constantly taking it to another level...

Melbourne artist Rone’s Worcester Street artwork on the side of Cathedral Junction is one of our faves. Can you tell about how the Worcester Street piece came to be? It was part of a festival curated by George Shaw. Who is the model? Teresa Oman. What inspired the work? I wanted the raw brick to blend with Teresa’s beauty. To show a contrast of beauty and decay. The fern is a nod to New Zealand’s history. READ MORE: Street art in Christchurch How did you get into creating street art? I started after being inspired by others. I started to put works up as I would skateboard around the city. What was the first bit of street art you created, and was it any good? I think it was something skateboard related. It’s long gone; it would have been very average. How does your process work? Every single work is different....

Organic Matters, the work of Wellington-based artist Chimp, is one of the most striking features of Christchurch’s Justice and Emergency Services Precinct. Given the history of street art and the law, did you think it ironic to be asked to paint on the side of the Justice and Emergency Services Precinct? Ha, yes, receiving the initial email was mildly concerning until I had taken in that it was about a potential commission. It was interesting talking to people while painting the mural, from people attending court, to police officers and lawyers and getting all their different perspectives on the project. You seem to have a real thing for art featuring birds – can you tell us about that? Birds are so connected to our culture and Aotearoa, I think partially because they are our most notable life forms across the country other than us. Because of this they are a powerful subject...

Incoming: Gin! After leaving its storied Victoria Street digs in July, gin gin. is opening its doors this summer in New Regent Street with a bigger, bolder bar that’s both uplifting, vibrant, and seriously cosy. It now has its own dedicated kitchen, as well as more shelf space for even more sensational gins, and room for events and live music. Speaking of the kitchen, Ryan Henley, former chef at Pescatore, has created the new menu, so make sure you come with an appetite. The team has also created a bunch of fun and exciting new drinks that will get your taste buds excited for all things gintastic. Among the bar’s immense collection, gin gin. stocks amazing Kiwi gins as well as a few from right here in Ōtautahi, so if you want to move up from the bottom shelf, this is the place to broaden your gin horizons. gingin.co.nz

The Spirits Workshop was started by four friends who thought that, with access to some of the world’s best barley grown right here in Canterbury and some of the world’s best water straight out of the tap, Christchurch should be making the world’s best single malt whisky. Grown, malted, mashed, fermented, distilled in copper pot stills, and aged right here in Christchurch. There are two expressions currently available. The signature product is aged in small new French oak barrels for three and a half years. It has rich dark toffee and milk chocolate, vanilla, oak and soft floral undertones on the nose. Oak, dark caramel, dark cocoa, new leather, creamy tannin, floral and anise on the palate, with a slightly drying, long oak tannin finish. The second expression, Port and Sherry Double Cask was aged in tiny 20-litre barrels made from oak, previously used for many years to age South Australian...

There's nothing like a drink with a view, and Christchurch is perfectly situated for rooftop bars. With massive vistas of the Port Hills, the Canterbury Plains, the Southern Alps and Pegasus Bay all the way up to Kaikoura, all we've been waiting for is a place to soak it in. Luckily for us, not one but two new sky-high establishents have opened up in the city, just in time for a long summer of sunsets and swanky evenings with craft beer, fine wine and killer cocktails. The first is Pink Lady Rooftop, on the top floor of The Muse. It's an intimate space seemingly tailor-made for Instagram: flirty cocktails, swishy palm trees, perfectly plated dishes, and of course, views of the city. It's the brainchild of Tom Newfield, the restaurateur who also brought Christchurch Welles Street pub, Earl bistro, Welder Events and Bottle + Stone. If the opening weekend is anything...

Fitness pro Kyla at Studio Six Private Training believes a few easy wins can keep you in top shape through the summer. Drink up. The sun’s out, you’re moving more – time to make sure you’re getting that 1.5 litres of the good stuff. When you’re dehydrated, your body starts to think you’re hungry, when really you just need a big old glass of H2O. Stay organised. Make sure you’ve got healthy food options prepped. When we’re hungry, we usually rush to convenience food, which tends to be unhealthy. Stick to healthy snacks. There are some super-tasty healthy options. Kyla recommends Sweet Chilli Philly or hummus with carrot sticks and rice crackers. How about half a palmful of nuts and seeds, or some popcorn? Try to add protein into your snacks, as it means you can eat fewer calories and feel fuller. Allocate certain days to exercise. Monday: gym. Thursday: swim....

We’re polishing up our dance moves and sharpening up our taste buds in preparation for an outrageous summer of festival fun. Check out our best of the fests. Electric Avenue If, like us, you’re absolutely amped for all the bangin’ Kiwi artists marooned at home this summer, Electric Avenue is the festival it’s not ok to miss. Benee, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Kora, L.A.B, Shapeshifter and way more are all coming to dish out a tasty mix of old-skool tunes, fresh drops from new albums, and beats that’ll have you raving into the night. For one day only, Hagley Park will be packed with food trucks, carnival rides and interactive experiences all set to a non-stop 12-hour soundtrack of tunes across multiple stages, with over 30 bands pedalling their best funk, house, hip hop, drum and bass, and rock bangers. With New Zealand music legends, homegrown Ōtautahi heroes and new kids on the...

Hot tips on a couple of delightful Christchurch neighbourhoods that are selling really well (and that I love for their incredible character). Strowan — This fabulous family suburb has beautiful renovated and newly built homes, in such a quiet location. This suburb is very established and in my opinion a hidden gem. It is very close to Elmwood Park, has wide streets, and the big bonus is it’s just full of family homes rather than lots of units and townhouses – so no high-density living. Strowan is very appealing to me personally because I lived in Hartley Avenue for many years and my children went to the local Waimairi School. It has excellent school zones including Christchurch Boys’ High School, Christchurch Girls’ High School, and of course St Andrew’s College which is right in the heart of Strowan. Lyttelton Harbour — From Lyttelton right round to Diamond Harbour, the small bayside...

Tom Newfield is the brains behind some of Christchurch’s best hospo haunts: Welles Street pub, Earl bistro, Welder Events and Bottle + Stone. He’s currently working on a views-for-days new rooftop bar called The Pink Lady, and if his track record is anything to go by, it’s set to be our favourite new summer drinking spot. Out of your many establishments and venues, do you have a favourite? Aww, that’s like asking who your favourite child is. I set out to create diverse venues, each with their own distinct voice, personality, and place within the city’s hospitality landscape, and each are very special to me and have features that contribute to the vibrant culture we are trying to create. You’ve got an enviable track record – are you lucky or is it all about hard work? I am lucky in that I have an incredible team and together we all work...

As if Riverside Market wasn’t already irresistible, Curiosity Gin has set up an awesome little cocktail bar inside its tastebud-tingling hall. Try the gin flight – five mini G&Ts with garnishes to suit each flavour. Whisky lovers can go for a whisky flight with the fabulous Divergence Single Malt, and if you prefer your cocktails full-sized and one at a time, the crew will whip you up a delicious creation. There’s even a great little shop where you can pick up gift packs and bottles to stock your home cabinet. thespiritsworkshop.co.nz

From High Street, to destruction, to Re:START and back, Infinite Definite is a classic story of CBD business, earthquakes and recovery. Fashion designer and retailer Jono Moran talks the journey over with Cityscape. Infinite Definite’s origin story began back in 2008 as a menswear label which I designed and had manufactured right here in Christchurch. We were looking for stockists for Infinite Definite and the opportunity came along to rent a space on High Street in the old ANZ Bank Chambers building. So we decided to open our own store to sell Infinite Definite in Christchurch. There were plenty of other talented emerging designers that weren't being stocked here at that time, so we broadened our offering to encompass a range of New Zealand brands as well as some international ones we thought would resonate with our customers. It was also an exciting opportunity for me to design and build our...

Christchurch’s new rooftop bar is giving us an opportunity to escape life’s street-level madness and feel the wind in our hair. On the roof of The Muse Hotel, and named for the hotel’s pink sunset glow, The Pink Lady Rooftop is an intimate space that’s all about the views. Created by the team behind Welles Street functions, Earl, and Bottle + Stone among others, Pink Lady is giving us that ‘stepping off the plane in a foreign city’ vibe. The drinks list features fabulous wines, crafties from Fortune Favours, and cocktails that are fun, flirty and made for the ‘Gram. The bar has a chic mid-century vibe, and for nibbles, you’ll be able to choose from a breezy Baja-inspired menu with a selection of bar snacks designed to share with your friends as you gaze out across the city skyline. Let’s face it, watching the sun set over the hills on...