Mud & Steam

Artwork Name: Mud & Steam

Artist Name: Bela Ughy

Location: 1271 Amohia Street

Medium: Painted mural

With a penchant for painting historical images, artist Bela Ughy decided to look to the past for inspiration for the 2017 Rotorua Mural Symposium.

The mural depicts a young family looking out over a cavern.  Cracks are seen in the rocky landscape, and steam drifts from the crevasses. In the background, hot pools and manuka scrubland can be seen, typical in geothermal areas.

Kawerau-based artist Bela Ughy was inspired by historical images for her artworks in the 2017 Rotorua Mural Symposium.

The historical scene of a family looking out over a thermal landscape is indicated through the outfits worn by the figures and the muted colours used in the overall mural. Ughy uses soft, sweeping brush strokes to create an impressionistic-style painting with a nostalgic feel.

Credit: Bela Ughy, Mud and Steam, 2017. Commissioned by Rotorua Lakes Council

Of Hungarian descent, Bela Ughy was born in Auckland and raised in Kawerau. After discovering a natural talent for art at an early age, Ughy decided to pursue a career in art in his 20s.

A self-taught artist, Ughy primarily works in realism with acrylic paint. Ughy lives and works in Kawerau and has exhibited across New Zealand and Australia.