How Kiwi Muralist Mr G Made His Mark On The World

Multi-disciplinary artist Graham Hoete – also known as Mr G – rose to international fame after painting two remarkable murals in the United States. That success didn’t happen overnight though, as Mr G has been in the industry for more than a decade. Here’s a look at the New Zealand artist’s highlights thus far.

Early beginnings

Mr G was born in 1979 in the Bay of Plenty. He is a self-taught artist, with no formal training beyond high school. Driven by a love and passion for his work, Mr G honed and experimented with his artistry in his own time. He eventually relocated to Sydney, where he lived for five years. All up, Mr G has spent 12 years steadily working on commissioned and personal projects. A lot of his early work was inspired by his love of dogs, and he often intertwined different mongrels with a string of quirky pop culture references.

Mixed media works

Claim to fame

It was an interest in the contemporary that put Mr G’s work in the spotlight. His most prominent murals were a true labour of love – unpaid, and inspired by people Mr G strongly admires. The first, in Oklahoma City, was of Kiwi basketball star Steven Adams. Then it was Mr G’s tribute to Prince, a Purple Rain-themed mural in the singer’s hometown, that wowed crowds the world over. During the latter project’s unveiling, in Chanhassen, Minnesota, Mr G performed a haka and addressed the singer’s fans in Te Reo Māori – his special way of showing respect to one of his idols.

Looking ahead

Since then, Mr G has worked on other murals in the US and abroad. He is currently back in New Zealand, divvying up his time between his commissions and art workshops for young people. Mr G is also pursuing a larger project, paying homage to New Zealand society: The 100 New Zealand Portraits series. He is progressively travelling around the country, painting murals of the average Kiwi – but in places one might not expect. Thus far, Mr G has completed portraits in the Bay of Plenty and received plenty of positive feedback and suggestions of places to go. The idea is to capture Aotearoa‘s people and rural landscapes, eventually compiling all the completed images into a book.

The second portrait in the 100 New Zealand Portraits series

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.