“This is going to be a journey of long reaching proportions” said organiser and long distance cyclist Max Levi Frieder before setting off on 24 June 2011 to cycle the North Island.  Max was on a mission to help ten communities create murals on canvas as a gift to their communities, working with Childrens Art Foundation Art Houses.

The plan was for each town to get in three sessions of mural making, and to create a full fledged, finished, colorful and vibrant canvas mural. Each Arthouse is asked to find a location somewhere public in the community to hang each piece. Ideally, at the end of the painting sessions, the participants will be able to help hang the pieces in each location.

Paint has been provided through Resene. The Tour has now seen murals installed in various places including a community art gallery, a library, a school and, in Opotiki, the police station (click for story and photo)!

The intent of this project is to bring children together to create a series of collaborative murals that span all the Art Houses of New Zealand. The concept behind each piece is determined by each group, merging their ideas, styles, mediums and cultures. “The people in every place are different, says Max . The kids are so into it, its inspiring”.

Max says one of the benefits in this project is that its great for communities to see things that have been created by their own students.  

My favourite thing about this,” says Max “is for the young participants to be able to see a peice they have created, become a gift to their community and they’ll see it even years later, and they can take a lot of pride in it.” Being on canvas means the murals can move location over time if need be.

The trip started on 24 June and is planned to end on 24 August. The plan was to fit in 36 days of painting, allowing for 24 days of bike travel. Delays due to difficult weather were starting to eat into painting time, so it was decided to forgo some of the cycling legs for car transport.

The tour has been to Pukekohe , Huapai, Te Puru , Whakatane, Opotiki, Paeroa, with Thames, Te Awamutu, Otorohanga, and Foxton also on the itinerary.  

Max’s blog has photos from each community and the stunning murals created: http://www.maxlevifrieder.com