Whales inspire weekend work for artists
Ma¯ori artists from around the country are gathering in South Taranaki this weekend to create tiny works inspired by massive creatures.
The stranding in May of 13 para¯oa (sperm whales) along the South Taranaki coastline is the inspiration for ‘‘Taonga Para¯oa, Taonga Iti’’ wa¯ nanga (educational seminar) at Waiokura Marae in Manaia.
An exhibition of works created during the wa¯nanga, along with works by new, emerging and internationally established artists, will follow the event.
Taranaki-based artists and friends Gabrielle Belz, Kataraina Te Ira, Wharehoka Smith and Bonita Bigham were planning the event long before the para¯oa arrived, Bigham said in a statement.
‘‘There are not many, if any, opportunities for Ma¯ ori artists from many disciplines to come together and concentrate purely on creative output for a whole weekend, let alone exhibit immediately afterwards,’’ she said. ‘‘We met earlier this year to talk about how we could create opportunities for Ma¯ ori visual artists who live in Taranaki or whakapapa to an iwi here to spend time together, learn from each other and share their work with the wider public.’’
When the time came to properly organise the event, it made sense to honour the whales and remember this hugely significant event, she said. ‘‘Ideally, we’d love to do this kind of thing at least a couple of times a year somewhere in Taranaki, where we get to share our passion and skills with each other and take our stories through our art forms out to communities around the mountain.’’
After the wananga concluded on Sunday afternoon, they would open a week-long exhibition in Manaia, including works no bigger than 15cm created during the weekend.
It would include weaving, carving, printmaking, paper-cutting, photography, painting and sculpture, and examples of carved niho paraoa [sperm whale teeth] made by tohunga whakairo (master carver) Rangi Kipa.
Bigham said there was no intention to speak for, or on behalf of Nga¯ ti Tu¯ hapu or anyone else where the whales came ashore.
‘‘Any discussion or artistic expression will be purely reflective of the individual experiences of attending artists,’’ she said.
‘‘The mana of that collective story-telling at all times remains with Nga¯ ti Tu¯ , Nga¯ ti Haua hapu and Nga¯ti Ruanui iwi to decide who, how, where and when that expression of their experiences are told and shared.’’
The public opening of ‘‘Taonga Para¯ oa, Taonga Iti’’ will be held at Toi Manaia gallery, opposite the Band Rotunda, on Sunday from 3pm-7pm. The exhibition will open from August 20-26 from 2pm-7pm daily.