Creating a bold memorial for DJ Mu

Legendary Kiwi musician and all-round good sort Chris Faiumu has been immortalised on this Pōneke wall.

Beloved Kiwi musician Chris Faiumu – also known as DJ Mu – has been immortalised in a mural in his hometown of Pōneke Wellington. The family man and co-founder of Fat Freddy’s Drop away in July 2025, and acclaimed artists Otis Frizzell and Owen Dippie have now painted an homage to their mate to honour his memory and celebrate the impact he had on New Zealand music.

How it came to be is a story of generosity and shared spirit, with many members of Mu’s circle and the Wellington community joining forces to bring the artwork to life. The idea was born at his funeral, where, as they celebrated his life, his loved ones decided that a tribute wall should be painted for their one-in-a-million friend.

The Ghuznee Street wall space was donated by Jam Hair Company and was previously home to a David Bowie mural painted by artist Xoe Hall 10 years ago. Xoe gave her blessing and wholeheartedly supported the new incarnation, saying that it was “time for a local icon to grace the best wall in Pōneke.”

Artists Otis Frizzell and Owen Dippie worked for several days to bring the vibrant mural to life.

The mural project garnered wide-spread attention, featuring in several news articles.

Supplies, provisions and essentials were donated by friends, family and the wider community, with fellow homegrown Wellington brand Resene supplying the paint. Otis is a Resene paint devotee and loves the vivid colour payoff and great coverage. He used it on another of his iconic murals, this time in Tāmaki Makaurau’s Dominion Road.

The artists were on scissor lifts from sun up to sun down. Owen worked on a beautifully detailed portrait of Mu on the right side of the wall, while on the left, Otis painted Noodles the Octopus, the betentacled character from the cover artwork of Fat Freddy’s iconic first album, Based on a True Story, that had the nation’s music lovers in a chokehold upon its release 21 years ago.

A block party crowd gathered over the multi-day painting process, with music, food and lore shared as the mural came to life. The finished result is a masterpiece and a fitting tribute to a man who positively impacted so many lives with his wairua and musical talent.

In an Instagram post about the mural and the painting process, Owen said, “To be trusted with the memory of a person’s passed loved one is a great honour; it’s a responsibility that I don’t take lightly or for granted. I truly do believe in magic and for that split second when you first see that portrait, you see that loved one again larger than life and living through paint.”

The artists were up and down in the scissor lift from dawn ‘til dusk bringing this heartfelt tribute to life.

Otis’ side of the wall features Noodles the Octopus, a character from Fat Freddy’s first album, Based on a True Story.

Top tips for murals:

Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen is the most popular Resene paint for murals and it comes in all sizes – from small testpots to large cans and pails – so you can choose the right amount of paint to suit your design.
If your mural is in an area that’s prone to graffiti, apply Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield over the top of your painting so any graffiti can be easily removed later.
If your mural is bold and bright and unlikely to be graffitied, you can coat it in gloss Resene Clearcoat UVS which will give extra protection to the bright colours. The glossy finish will catch the sunlight though, so this is best for murals that won’t create any glare.
If you need to spray paint small areas, use a ColorPak mini spray unit and pour in your Resene paint. This will allow you to spray small areas without having to use toxic spray paint.