A hidden train station, two brick walls, and a plant that survived despite all odds—these are all parts of the story behind Parnell’s newest and biggest mural ‘Akapukaea: Tecomanthe Speciosa (3 Kings Vine)’ by Paul X Walsh.
Paul’s name is a familiar one in Parnell, and his artwork can be seen on the majority of our painted Chorus Cabinets. But this time, his assignment was far larger—create a large scale mural over two buildings that reflected an urban garden. The buildings in question are the backs of 29 and 31 Cheshire St, one of the first things that commuters see when arriving to Parnell via train. Unfortunately, the buildings were also a bit of an eye-sore, often heavily graffitied.
The Parnell Business Association wanted to make this area more inviting, and put some care into a part of Parnell that seemed neglected. With funding from the Proceeds of Crime Grant, we enlisted Paul to paint his largest mural in Parnell to date.
How would he fill two large walls? Paul began researching Aotearoa flora, looking for the perfect fit. “I didn’t want to do one of the standards, like the silver fern or they kowhai,” he explained. “I was looking into lesser-known native plants, especially flowering plants, and then I found the story of the Three Kings Vine”.
"I found the story of this vine to just be really fascinating"
Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands are a group of islands of the coast of Cape Reinga, and in 1945, a scientific expedition to these islands uncovered the only Three Kings Vine ever found in the wild. Cuttings were retrieved, and every Three Kings Vine that exists today is a descendant of this original plant.
“I found the story of this vine to just be really fascinating”, says Paul, who was equally as captivating by the plant’s history as he was its aesthetic. The glossy leaves, waxy white and yellow flowers, and curling tendrils made this vine “a beautiful subject for art”.
Paul spent a month painting the mural—an often-solitary job, but a source of intrigue for regular users of the train and the station carpark. Slowly but surely, green vines and white flowers spread across the walls, and new details began to appear in the creases of leaves or stamen of the flowers. One of the best-loved details by careful observers is a small blue bug crawling across one of the stems—see if you can spot it next time you’re in the area!
The Parnell Business Association marked the completion of the mural with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday 13 August. “Public art has a way of transforming the everyday spaces we pass through, and Paul Walsh’s mural down at Parnell station is a prime example,” says Parnell Business Association General Manager Adriana Avendaño Christie. “It’s a wonderfully welcoming landmark for anyone stepping off the train or just passing by”.
Chair of the Parnell Business Association Committee Bradley Jacobs also offered positive feedback on Paul’s mural. “We’ve brought what was a pretty ugly wall to life,” he shared in his speech at the ribbon cutting event. “I think we can all agree that it has made a big difference. It’s nice, colourful, creative—a beautiful welcome to Parnell”.
