Horowhenua District Mayor Bernie Wanden said the council had partnered with local artists to showcase their work on the Chorus boxes.
Horowhenua District Mayor Bernie Wanden said the council had partnered with local artists to showcase their work on the Chorus boxes.
Horowhenua Mayor Bernie Wanden has slammed the vandalism of an artwork at the centre of town celebrating diversity.
A rainbow-coloured fantail on a telecommunications box in the centre of Levin was bombed with grey paint this week in what has been seen as an attack on the local LGBTQIA+ community.
Wanden said the council proudly stood by the local LGBTQIA+ community and council officers had been instructed to remove the paint immediately.
“Vandalism of community assets is a selfish act, a waste of ratepayers’ money and is not acceptable,” he said.
“Council officers will be removing the paint today [Thursday].”
The Chorus box in the centre of Levin with an artwork representing the LGBTQIA+ community has been bombed with grey paint.
Wanden said the council had partnered with local artists to showcase their work on the Chorus boxes, and their work brightened up the town.
“Partnering with local artists and showcasing their work on Chorus boxes adds vibrancy to our community spaces and a sense of place,” he said.
“Furthermore, Horowhenua’s beauty is not just derived from its natural environment. It comes from its people, its sense of community and the manaakitanga shown to one another and those visiting the district.
“To that effect, council supports an inclusive and diverse community and proudly stands by our rainbow community.”
Local artist Vicky Millman was commissioned by Chorus to do the fantail artwork on the telecommunications box in 2021.
The work featured six different colours in the fantail and a colourful backdrop that celebrated the right for people to feel free to identify with their sexuality.
Levin artist Vicky Millman stands next to the Chorus box where her mural of a fantail representing the LGBTQIA+ community has been painted over with grey paint.
Chorus initially trialled placing artwork on the telecommunication cabinets in Auckland in 2010 to test if the frequency of tagging decreased. It proved so successful the programme was rolled out nationwide at a current rate of 170 a year.
Horowhenua District Council worked with Chorus to decide on the successful artists, with Chorus having final approval of the design. Depending on the size of the cabinet, artists received between $400 and $1500 for their work.
In the past year, five cabinets had been painted with artwork in areas including Foxton, Levin, Hōkio Beach and Manakau.
