Bulldog mural to replace kissing kids

Otago Daily Times

09-07-2025

A British bulldog will replace a pair of lovestruck children as the new face of a central Dunedin building.
The Dunedin City Council has granted resource consent for a new mural on the side of the Mansfield Apartments building, at the corner of Bond and Liverpool Sts.
It was previously home to the mural Love is in the Air , painted by Polish street artist Natalia Rak in May 2015, which depicted a girl giving a boy holding a lollipop a kiss as they sit together on a red bench.
That mural was painted over in March last year, the Dunedin Street Art Trust at the time saying the building's owners had needed to remove it so repairs to the wall could be undertaken.
But Rak told the Otago Daily Times she had not received any information about the removal of her artwork and the news left her sad.
The proposed new mural would depict a British bulldog, a consent report said.
"The artist chosen by the applicant specialises in animal murals and after their discussion with the owners of the building, the bulldog was chosen for its visual interest.
"The bulldog also references a historic building located next door to the building the mural is being painted on. This building was the home of the South British Insurance Company.
"The Union Jack on the collar is a specific reference to that business/building name."
Dunedin Street Art Trust chairman Glen Hazelton confirmed the artist was SwiftMantis, of Palmerston North, who is known for his large scale hyper-realistic wildlife murals — particularly of re-homed stray cats.
''But we thought a dog was a better example in this space,'' Dr Hazelton said.
SwiftMantis' work also includes portraits of the late Dunedin-born eye doctor Fred Hollows and famed Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, both in Palmerston North.
The artist is yet to have painted an artwork in Otago, but has previously in Invercargill and Winton.
There were already a lot of murals of native wildlife around Dunedin, and it would be nice to have something different this time, Dr Hazelton said.
The trust had wanted an artwork that shared the realistic elements of Love is in the Air and would appeal to the same people who enjoyed that artwork, while not looking too similar.
While they would have liked to see Rak return, but who could not due to personal circumstances, Dr Hazelton said he hoped she could paint another mural in the city in the future.
''In the meantime, it's great to have something going back up on the wall and we're really happy with the artist we're working with.''
It was hoped the new mural could be completed by summer this year, he said.
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