27 January 2014
Canterbury Museum is celebrating RISE as the most successful exhibition ever held.
More than 100,000 visitors have been through the street art exhibition in the six weeks since it opened on 20 December
last year.
Museum Director Anthony Wright says 112,385 visitors had been recorded when the Museum closed on Sunday 26 January, and
explains that the popularity of the show may be highlighting a cultural change taking place in Christchurch.
“Broadly speaking, post-earthquakes there seems to have been a subtle movement in Christchurch’s sometimes conservative
mindset,” he says. “RISE is a prime example of the wider community’s support for change and innovation in Christchurch.
As the rebuild ramps up, more people are thinking outside the square and taking calculated risks with positive results.
The community seems to be welcoming new ideas with open arms, which is great.”
RISE, which profiles the best of street art from New Zealand and around the world, including original works by British
artist Banksy, is exhibited across three levels within the Museum with the latest art installation by Belgian artist ROA
just completed in the Bird Hall.
“ROA’s moa on the exterior north wall of the Museum has proved really popular, so we asked him if he would like to paint
the ceiling of the Bird Hall inside. You can imagine our excitement when he said yes!”
RISE runs until 23 March and Mr Wright expects visitor numbers to remain high until the exhibition closes.
“We’re expecting good visitation from domestic and international tourists to Christchurch in the next few weeks. The
word has got out -RISE is New Zealand’s must-see exhibition this summer,” he says.
ENDS