Museum becomes canvas for street artists

Sixty-five local and international street artists have been let loose inside Canterbury Museum.

Thirty-five spaces over five floors at the Rolleston Ave building have been transformed into spectacular artworks as part of the museum's final blockbuster exhibition SHIFT: Urban Art Takeover.

• Move of the century

Canterbury Museum has already removed most of its 2.3 million items to safe storage, as it prepares to embark on an ambitious five year, $205 million redevelopment of its facility.

Clearing out the museum has given street artists the ability to use the walls, floors, ceilings and stairwells as their canvas.

But in keeping with the nature of urban art, the temporary artworks will only last as long as the 73-day exhibition.

Partial demolition of the museum building is due to begin in April.

SHIFT: Urban Art Takeover opens this weekend, and runs till April 11. Proceeds from ticket sales go towards the museum’s redevelopment project.

- By Geoff Sloan
- Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air