Whale wall loss 'vandalism'

SCHOOLCHILDREN: With artist Wyland, centre, after the mural was painted in 1999.

JASON OXENHAM

SOMETHING'S MISSING: Mike Percy, left, and Dave Moran say they are outraged the Wyland mural at the waterfront has been painted over.

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THE wipe-out of a whaling wall on the waterfront has sparked cries of protest.

Mike Percy and Dave Moran were outraged to discover the iconic Wyland mural on the side of the Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum had been painted over.

Mr Percy says he felt utter disbelief when he discovered the mural was gone.

"I can't find the words to describe my feelings," he says.

"To paint over a marine life artwork of such significance is nothing short of blatant vandalism."

The 420-metre-long mural depicted a life-sized blue whale swimming with humpback, blue, pilot and killer whales and dolphins.

It was painted by well-known United States marine life artist Wyland during the 1999 America's Cup and even the late Sir Peter Blake lent a hand in painting it.

Wyland is known for his prolific work painting marine life scenes all around the world and as an advocate for marine conservation.

He began his Whaling Wall series in 1981 and has done almost 60 of the murals around the world.

But the entire wall was painted black as part of maintenance of the museum, with only a tiny square left containing Sir Peter's signature.

Mr Percy, a Wyland Award recipient for his volunteer work in local marine conservation, says the mural was an important educational tool for many school groups and visitors to the waterfront.

"The whole basin of recreation and conservation right here was depicted in this particular painting," he says.

Dive NZ magazine editor Mr Moran says he was recently contacted by a member of the public about the mural's disappearance and couldn't believe it.

"It's just bizarre to paint over a major artwork."

But Voyager chief executive Paul Evans says although it is a shame to lose the mural, the museum had little choice but to remove it.

He says the museum consulted widely on the decision and also had the support of Lady Pippa Blake and the whole Blake family.

He says a third of the wall had already been removed as part of the construction of the new Blue Water, Black Magic exhibition, a tribute to Sir Peter.

Along with this, Mr Evans says the surface of the painting had begun to deteriorate quite badly and although a protective coating was applied, the surface continued to degrade because of the high-salt marine environment on the wharf.

He says a number of Wyland's other murals around the world have had to be painted over for the same reason.

"It was a piece of the museum's history and it's regrettable that it had to go.

"From an art perspective, the integrity of that work is gone."

- © Fairfax NZ News