Watch This Space: Ikarus DTR
Graffiti Game
Artist Ikarus DTR
Date March 2022
Location Welles Street
When he was named as one of the headline artists for the 2022 Flare Street Art Festival, local graffiti legend Ikarus wanted to ensure his work represented his roots and spoke to the urban creatives following the same path he began decades ago. Mural festivals often marginalise graffiti art and its aesthetic in favour of more palatable images, creating a sense of disconnect for many young artists from the world of graffiti. For Ikarus, Flare was an opportunity to put graffiti’s traditions and styles on a large-scale platform. The artist is depicted at the bottom left, wearing virtual reality goggles as he enters the metaverse to play the game of graffiti. From tags to throw-ups, the pitfalls and the rewards, graffiti’s specifics unfold level upon level, eventually reaching mastery with a ‘masterpiece’ and a tribute to South Island graffiti icon Jungle. It provides a visible pathway for graffiti artists, and Ikarus’ mural shines a light on graffiti’s bold potential.
Explore more of Ōtautahi’s urban art on a Watch This Space guided street art tour! Email tours@watchthisspace.org.nz for booking information.