Princess Di mural nears completion
A three-storey image of Princess Di and a street-long mural featuring Bob Marley in Tauranga are both the work of emerging graffiti artist Owen Dippie.
A Kawerau-born graffiti artist is making a name for himself around the globe but says he won’t forget where he came from anytime soon.
Owen Dippie’s street art, featuring huge portraits of deceased iconic figures, graces the streets from America to New Zealand.
The 27-year-old now bases himself in Mount Maunganui and is in the process of opening up his own gallery and workshop but said that doesn’t stop him from keeping in contact with his Kawerau friends.
“I love Kawerau and I love telling people I’m from there. I hope there will be a strong Kawerau presence at the gallery opening.”
Owen said he had a mixed upbringing and doesn’t have much money but still goes back to Kawerau frequently and would love to paint there one day.
“I always used to try ask the council to get a wall to paint on but never had much luck.”
Now his work is becoming more recognised, Owen says he would definitely try again in the future.
But it is not just about representing Kawerau – he wants to represent New Zealand.
“I want to paint a huge David Lange in New York or LA to represent his dream of a nuclear free NZ.”
And the young artist also has plans to travel to Europe, where he wants to try his hand at painting renaissance-style works.
“There is a lot of negativity in New Zealand towards graffiti,” says Owen, “which is a shame because the rest of the world holds New Zealand street art in high regard.”
Other icons he has painted include Michael Jackson, Billy T James and Sir Edmund Hillary and he is currently working on a three-storey high portrait of Princess Diana in Tauranga, which he hopes to finish by the anniversary of her death on August 31.
Afterwards he wants to paint a giant Mona Lisa next to it.
Owen is also working on a street-long mural, featuring Bob Marley, outside his Mount Maunganui gallery.
The idea behind the gallery, which opens on September 10, is a space where he will be able to work, display his art, and hopefully hold workshops.
“I have the space and ability for workshops so why not? I want it to be like a graffiti museum.”
Owen started working with spray cans around 2000 and said his growing international presence and life as an artist is a dream come true.
“I can’t really describe it, everything is just falling into place.”
