Traditional Anzac poppies have been given a contemporary retouch by Christchurch graffiti artist Wongi Wilson at a roadside mural in rural Cust.

The tribute artwork painted on the side of a garage owned by Cust retailer Margaret Austin took six hours to complete and used about 40 different cans of spray-paint, Wilson said.

Wilson, whose partner, Emma, is Austin's daughter, said remembering the Anzacs was important to him and to Austin's family because her two sons were in the military. One is a medic serving in Afghanistan.

Wilson has previously exhibited work with fellow graffiti artist Nick Tam. It has featured at the Ellerslie International Flower Show and on television.

He had been interested in the art form since primary school, he said.

"One of my friend's older brothers was into hip-hop, break-dancing and graffiti art, so I read the books, watched the movies, got into it and made my own style."

Wilson has been painting for more than 10 years and is studying for a bachelor in visual arts at the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology.

He disliked the impression some people had of graffiti art as tagging.

"It doesn't reflect what I do, but I still get grouped into it."

Projects such as the Anzac mural helped to dispel those connections and showed the good aspects of graffiti art.

"I'm thinking about doing a reproduction on canvas for the RSA, then donating it to them to show we understand what they're going through and to show my respect to them."

Wilson also helps a council-funded group called Project Legit which deals with youths who have been caught tagging.

To commemorate Anzac Day, next week The Press and press.co.nz will be running a series of stories and features about those who fought or lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars and what it means to those who are still here.

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