In the wake of Jacinda Ardern’s resignation, a client bought copies of Sam Sharpe’s stencil art depicting the former prime minister for her toddler daughters.
But the Dunedin artist was stunned when she told him they wouldn’t get them until they turned 21 – “to show them the leader they had when they were young”.
Sharpe and his stencil art photos are a familiar sight on the campaign trail for politicians visiting Dunedin, although they were more favorable to those leaning to the left.
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Hamish McNeilly/Stuff
Dunedin artist Sam Sharpe with his Jacinda Ardern inspired artwork on the campaign track in 2017.
The part-time artist is known locally as “the Dicks guy” thanks to his counter-protest against anti-abortion activists outside Dunedin Hospital every Friday.
He is also known for his stencil artwork, especially those featuring Ardernthat have been sold all over the world.
It was during the 2017 campaign, when Ardern was vying to become prime minister, that Sharpe appeared holding a large sign of the Labor leader as Star Wars character Princess Leia with the headline “A New Hope”.
At the height of “Jacindamania” sales of his prints went like clockwork with inquiries from all over the country.
This continued after her retirement.
His Ardern-inspired stencil art had sold well during her tenure, especially after certain events, but he had never been more busy than after she announced her resignation.
“I thought ‘that’s that, done and dusted’, and then I lined up some more posters and sold more than when she came in.”
“It’s gone absolutely ballistic, I’ve been making outright prints for the past week.”
Hamish McNeilly/Stuff
Jacinda Ardern-inspired stencil art proves popular for Dunedin artist Sam Sharpe in this 2017 file photo.
That included other pop culture influenced prints including Ardern as Wonder Woman, then a Bowie inspired print Prime Minister Bill English called her ‘stardust’.
He had used her image to raise money for charity, including one after the terror attacks on mosques to raise money for the Syrian community, and another during lockdown that raised more than $10,000 for Women’s Refuge.
Things got crazier when Te Papa bought a tote bag with a print of Ardern from Sharpe. It is part of their permanent collection.
Sharpe said that before Ardern took the top job, a mutual friend of theirs asked him to do a stencil of Michael Joseph Savage, which was on display behind Ardern’s desk for years.
Sharpe said Ardern had helped “make my name”.
Delivered
Sam Sharpe, of Dunedin, and Jacinda Ardern.
“People associate me with those prints and I will never stop being grateful.”
Sharpe said he made a stencil of Chris Hipkins after his “spread your legs” faux pas, but never imagined he would become an artist specializing in politicians.
He was sad that Ardern has stepped down, especially after “all the rudeness and misogyny out there… it made me a little sick.”
Sharpe said he had received some negative feedback about his photos of the former prime minister. That frightened him as much as holding a sign that said “dicks” aimed at anti-abortionists.
“I don’t want that to define me, so no matter how nervous I get sometimes… I still go out.”