When I first started coming to the Napier they had a mural depicting the ascent of man: from hunter gatherer, through agriculture, bronze age, empires, enlightment, industrial revolution, world wars and the modern era before ending with a speculative flourish concerning mankind’s future. It was bright, colourful and really, really hideous.

The owner at the time refused to paint it over, but would not say why. So for years, the Feral Women, the Rococo Pops and countless other bands played under the watchful gaze of the spooky-eyed cow.

Some years back, after a change of hands, the mural was finally, thankfully, painted over. So I went in yesterday to take a couple of interior shots for my Fitzroy project, I was very surprised to see that the mural had been disinterred. I was even more surprised to find that it looks great in it’s present, muted form. I’ll be going back for some more shots soon.