The artist who painted a massive Ed Sheeran portrait in Dunedin saysa “Free Palestine” tag slapped across the portrait is a “welcome addition to the mural”.
The Bath Street mural of the British singer was created in 2018 by artist Tyler Kennedy Stent before Sheeran played three shows at the Forsyth Barr Stadium.
This week, the work was vandalised on the back of a controversial string of events which followed after rapper Macklemore was removed from Sheeran’s tour for making pro-Palestinian comments while performing.
Since then, other supporting acts announced they had also quit the tour in support.
Stent said being born in South Africa made him particularly aware of the role international pressure can have on challenging political issues.
“The 1981 Springbok tour is a powerful example from New Zealand’s own history of people refusing to accept that sport, culture and politics could simply be separated when fundamental human rights were at stake,” he said.
“I believe the same responsibility extends to celebrities and others with public platforms and influence.
“To remain apolitical in the face of serious human rights violations (credible sources such as the UN have documented settler colonialism and grave violations against Palestinians, including sexual and gender-based violence) is not neutral: it enables the status quo to continue.”
Sheeran says the promoters, not him, decided to drop the rapper from the tour over pro-Palestinian comments. (Source: 1News)
While opening for Sheeran earlier this month at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, Macklemore shouted "Free Palestine!" and told Palestinians they were "not forgotten".
"Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter's decision, it was not mine," Sheeran wrote in a lengthy Instagram post, adding that the rapper's contract was ended by the promoter, Messina Touring Group.
According to Sheeran, venues on the tour "communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting".
On Thursday morning in Dunedin, the words “Free Palestine” were written in large black lettering across the bottom of the mural.
“Ngā mihi nui to the person who wrote 'Free Palestine' on the mural,” Stent said.
A spokesperson for Dunedin City Council said they acknowledged the strong public sentiment surrounding Sheeran at present, but they did not condone vandalising public street art.
“I implore the [council] to consider the words a valuable component of the mural,” Stent said.
Any plans to remove the words would be up to the building owner in discussion with the Street Art Trust, the Dunedin City Council said.
Sheeran took the tour to Australia and New Zealand earlier this year, breaking attendance records for several stadiums.
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