The cans are empty, the paint dry and the doors open on SHIFT: Urban Art Takeover at Canterbury Museum.
Local and international street artists have taken over the empty museum buildings and turned them into five floors of dazzling images and dayglo eye candy. Huge murals jostle for space with traditional graffiti on the walls, while sculptures have sprouted from the floor and whole spaces – both the galleries you’re familiar with and the storerooms and offices you’ve never seen – have been swallowed by immersive installations.
International artists include Aches (Dublin, Ireland), SHOK-1 (London, United Kingdom) and ROA (Ghent, Belgium). Kiwi-born creatives Captain Kris (London, UK), Askew One (Oregon, USA) and Ling (Melbourne, Australia) are also in SHIFT’s list of international talent.
The all-star line-up continues with artists from around Aotearoa including Benjamin Work, Flox and Sweats, Charles and Janine Williams, Ross Liew, Haser, Tawck, Chimp, Milarky, Berst, Component and Margarita Vovna. Christchurch is well represented by Wongi ‘Freak’ Wilson, Ikarus, Jacob Yikes, Dcypher, Kophie, Jessie Rawcliffe, Ghostcat and Dr Suits.
SHIFT is a ticketed exhibition with all profits going towards the Museum’s much-needed redevelopment project. So treat your inner b-boy and get along! As one door closes, another opens. The Museum has leased the CoCA Centre of Contemporary Art Toi Moroki building at 66 Gloucester Street for a pop-up museum on the first floor, opening mid 2023.