Drone Photographer Petra Leary Captures Artwork Inspired By Rugby World Cup; Kicking Off An Epic Rooftop Campaign In Viaduct Harbour, New Zealand

Auckland waterfront precinct Viaduct Harbour has emblazoned rooftops, lawns and marina pontoons with artwork inspired by the 20 nations in the Japan 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Revealed in a series of striking images by internationally acclaimed Kiwi drone photographer, Petra Leary, the artwork conceived by Auckland’s Studio South has been captured rendering the large outdoor areas. A culmination of multiple campaigns, the project employing Leary was initially proposed as an editorial photo shoot by clothing brand EARLS and their creative studio Platform. Looking for an Auckland CBD location to photograph local hip hop group SWIDT wearing the label, the Viaduct Carpark rooftop was made available and the shoot quickly became a collaboration with the precinct and original parties.

“Viaduct Harbour was about to launch their campaign for the Rugby World Cup, and as soon as we saw a preview of their artwork by SOUTH, we recognised how strong it would look in Petra’s photos, and how timely it would be to include” explains EARLS co-founder Josh Heares. “Given the [Japan 2019] competition was kicking off the same week as our drone shoot with [Leary], and Viaduct Harbour is renowned as the city’s place for celebrating big sporting events, it just felt right to let it become something bigger,” Heares adds.

In an approach that could be described as taking inspiration from French installation artist Christo, the geometric artwork Studio South’s Elliot Stansfield —incorporating abstract interpretations of each participating Rugby World Cup nation’s flag or uniform —was temporarily installed on the same day as the EARLS photo shoot in four locations: a Viaduct Harbour marina pontoon, nearby deck within the public Waitematā Plaza space, a lawn in front of the Viaduct Harbour Holdings office at Viaduct Harbour Ave, and the Viaduct Carpark rooftop.