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#WishYouWereHereChch, artist Julia Holden's ambitious public art exhibition featuring paintings of present-day, post-quake Christchurch on 5 Auckland billboards is accompanied by the release of an edition of 10 collectable postcards.

With the assistance of iSite, APN and Media5, 4 of 5 billboards went up around Auckland in June; Pitt St, Cook St, Mt Eden Road, and Station Rd, Penrose. The billboards will be reinstalled in Wellington for the month of July and then ideally, to New Zealand’s other main urban centres, Dunedin and Christchurch.

Phantom Billstickers, the well-known Christchurch poster company, loved the concept and got involved. They have printed a beautiful collectable postcard edition of all 10 original oil paintings. Coinciding with each city billboard installation the postcards will be made freely available through their national cafe? network! Their philanthropy has helped Holden grow the project into something really special, making it possible for people to personally connect with #WishYouWereHereChch using social media or good old-fashioned snail mail. Look out for them at your local cafe when you pick up your morning coffee!

The postcard edition by Phantom Billstickers brings a whole new dimension to the #WishYouWereHereChch billboard project. Together, the postcards and billboards create a diverse campaign platform to connect with people, gently encouraging them to maintain a compassionate eye on Christchurch as it moves slowly, and sometimes painfully, forward in its recovery.

Julia is seeking an additional funding support for the relocation and installation of the billboards in Wellington in the first week of July, followed by Dunedin and Christchurch. Contributions are very welcome.