Whanganui Walls Street Art and Music Festival returned in 2021 with seven of NZ’s most prominent street artists transforming the town into an open-air gallery. Artists included: Milarky, Dan Mills, Swiftmantis, Flox, Mica Still, Charles & Janine Williams, Mike Marsh. 

It’s like daydreaming 

reaching back into the abstract 

faces with infinite ears do flips 

changing form and back again in an accordion motion 

while the very hungry caterpillar eats potato chips on string  

happiness is a balance evolving constantly 

as layers fuse together and layers fall away the caterpillar changes into the butterfly 

It’s about letting go of the masks we wear 

tunnels of memories fading in and out 

my mother grew up in this place 

then the UFO was seen 

the aliens left a face made of stone in her garden 

one eye follows you wherever you go 

making ripples in the water 

as autumn leaves dance down the Whanganui river 

 

"A describing poem for this piece made with the comments, conversations and interpretations of people, from the youngest child to the oldest woman, who watched and chatted with me and each other as I painted this piece." Kiel