Through the ages: Ma¯ori art on show for the masses
Toi Tu¯ Toi Ora hopes to expand the public’s narrow view of Ma¯ori art by showcasing the work of 111 artists, in a New Zealand first, writes Torika Tokalau.
Dynasties of Ma¯ori artists will take centre stage in a historic art exhibition that is 20 years overdue and has taken four years to put together.
E karapinepine mai ana nga¯ whakapapa tohunga toi Ma¯ori ki te whakaaturanga toi o nehe, kua aua atu i te 20 tau e ta¯ria ana, a¯, neke atu i te wha¯ tau e waihangahia ana.
Toi Tu¯ Toi Ora: Contemporary Ma¯ori Art, a free exhibition launching today, is the largest Auckland Art Gallery has staged in its 132-year history, and the first of its kind for Ma¯ori art in two decades.
Ko Toi Tu¯ Toi Ora: He Toi Ma¯ori Hou, a¯, he whakaaturanga koreutu ka rewaina i te 5 o Hakihea. Koinei te whakaaturanga nui rawa kua tu¯ ki Toi Ta¯maki mo¯ te 132 tau o to¯na oranga, a¯, koianei to¯ ra¯tou whakaaturanga toi Ma¯ori tuatahi i roto i te rua tekau tau.
The last large survey exhibition of contemporary Ma¯ori art featured
25 artists. This time, it will feature
111.
E 25 nga¯ tohunga toi i te¯ra¯ o nga¯ whakaaturanga. I te¯nei, 111 te huhua.
But even more significant is that the pieces featured in the 300-piece collection are work from artistic dynasties that have shaped the scene of contemporary Ma¯ori art for decades.
Heoi, ko te mea ta¯pua ano¯, ko nga¯ taonga o te kohinga 300, ka ahu mai i nga¯ aho whakapapa tohunga toi Ma¯ori, na¯ ra¯tou i ahuahu te toi Ma¯ori i roto i nga¯ tekau tau kua pahure.
There is work from father-andson sculptors Fred and Brett Graham, as well as pieces from ceramicist Wi Taepa and his sons, Ngataihaururu Taepa and Kereama Taepa.
Ko e¯tahi o nga¯ mahi i ahu mai i nga¯ ringa whao, a Fred ra¯ua ko tana tama a Brett Graham, a¯, ko e¯tahi, na¯ nga¯ kaiwhakairo uku a Wi Taepa ra¯tou ko a¯na tama a Nga¯taiharuru ra¯ua ko Kereama Taepa.
Mother-daughter weavers Matekino Lawless and Christina Hurihia Wirihana are also featured.
Ka whakaatuhia hoki nga¯ mahi a Matekino Lawless ra¯ua ko tana tama¯hine a Christine Hurihia Wirihana.
Brett Graham, whose sculptures examine indigenous experiences of the colonial process and emphasise relationships between Ma¯ori and other colonised cultures, will exhibit a number of pieces.
Otira¯, ko nga¯ mahi toi a Brett Graham e¯ra¯ ka wetewete i te tukinga o nga¯ ta¯ngata whenua ki a tauiwi, me te whakau¯ i te aria¯ me whai hononga te Ma¯ori ki e¯ra¯ ahurea i taipu¯whenuahia.
Some of his works reference the major tsunami that hit the Pacific in 2009, and the Urewera raids.
Ko e¯tahi o a¯na mahi ka pa¯ ki te tai a¯niwhaniwha i pa¯ ki Te Moananui-a-Kiwa i te tau 2009, me nga¯ urutomo ki roto o Te Urewera.
He said: ‘‘The public have a narrow view of what Ma¯ori art is and I hope this expands on that.
Ko ta¯na: ‘‘He tino wha¯iti te titiro a te marea ki te toi Ma¯ori, a¯, ma¯ te¯nei pea ka wha¯nui ake te titiro.
‘‘We talk about the contemporary movement but the next generation coming through are creating incredible work and not just using traditional media,
Zena Elliott’s 2017 piece, Flow, will be on display at Auckland Art Gallery’s free Toi Tu¯ Toi Ora: Contemporary Ma¯ori Art exhibition launching on December 5.
Another exhibition piece – Ngatai Taepa’s bought by the gallery in 2016. was
Lisa Reihana’s 2001 artwork Mahuika represents the goddess of fire. It was purchased by the gallery the following year. like carving and weaving, but exploring new materials.
‘‘Ka ko¯rero nei ta¯tou mo¯ te ao hou engari ko te rangatahi te¯nei e piki mai nei, e hanga mai nei i nga¯ mahinga mı¯haro, kaua noa iho i nga¯ toi tu¯turu o te whakairo me te raranga, engari i nga¯ hangarau hou hoki.’’
‘‘We hope the public get how strong the work is and how innovative it is as well,’’ Brett Graham said.
‘‘Ko te manako kia kite te marea i te mana o nga¯ mahi me te wairua auaha o roto.’’
Curator Nigel Borell said the work put into making the exhibition happen was challenging, including restrictions due to the
coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, but he was excited to see it all come together.
E ai ki te poukaia¯wha¯ o te whare, a Nigel Borell, he tino wero te whakatinana haere i te whakaaturanga, na¯ te uruta¯
huaketo korona, me nga¯ noho ra¯hui o muri. Heoi, e hı¯kaka ana te manawa ki to¯na pua¯waitanga.
‘‘This moment feels timely and essential,’’ Borell said.
‘‘E rongo ana te wairua, he ta¯nga manawa te¯nei,’’ te kı¯ a Borell.
‘‘It will stimulate critical discussion about the place of contemporary Ma¯ori art while also presenting an occasion to celebrate its vitality and uniqueness.
‘‘Ma¯ te¯nei hei whakaoreore i nga¯ arohaehae mo¯ te wa¯hi ki te toi Ma¯ori hou, me te whai wa¯ hoki ki te whakanui i to¯na hihiri me to¯na motuhaketanga hoki.’’
Toi Tu¯ Toi Ora will include artworks from the 1950s through to the present day, offering insights into the development of contemporary Ma¯ori art, informed by a Ma¯ori perspective and world view.
E whakaaturia ana ki Toi Tu¯ Toi Ora, ko nga¯ mahinga toi mai i te tekau tau atu i 1950, ki e¯nei ra¯, ka mutu, he hı¯na¯tore ki te whanaketanga o te toi Ma¯ori o mohoa nei, mai i te tirohanga ao Ma¯ori.
The exhibition presents both an aspiration and a challenge to realise a future in which contemporary Ma¯ori art continues to stand tall (toi tu¯) and healthy (toi ora), while reinforcing the wisdom and ideas that empower Ma¯ori and indigenous ways of knowing.
Ko e¯tahi whakakitenga o te whakaaturanga ko nga¯ aupiki me nga¯ auheke e whai ma¯rama ake ai te anamata o te ao toi Ma¯ori hou, kia toi tu¯ – kia toi ora – kia whakapu¯mautia te ma¯ramatanga me nga¯ aria¯ mana a¯ te iwi Ma¯ori me te ma¯tauranga taketake.
It features a vast range of contemporary Ma¯ori art, including painting, sculpture, printmaking, clay-making, jewellery, photography, digital media, film and installation art.
Ka whai hiranga hoki ki te whakaaturanga, ko nga¯ tu¯momo toi Ma¯ori hou katoa, pe¯nei i nga¯ peita, nga¯ mahi whao, nga¯ mahi ta¯, nga¯ mahi uku, nga¯ whakara¯kei, nga¯ tango whakaahua, nga¯ pa¯pa¯ho tuihono, nga¯ kiriata tae atu ki nga¯ toi whakatu¯ranga.
Borell said he often asked himself why it had taken so long to hold an exhibition celebrating Ma¯ori art again but believes this year’s timing is perfect.
E ai ki a Borell he rite tonu te ui o te hinengaro mo¯ te take he aha i pe¯nei ai te roa o te whakatu¯ ano¯ i te whakaaturanga whakanui i te toi Ma¯ori. Ahakoa ra¯, ka whakapono ia ko te wa¯ tika te¯nei.
‘‘This year has been mad for everyone and for the industry; it has been an opportunity to reset and think locally of the importance of our own history.
‘‘Whea rorirori ke¯ te¯nei tau mo¯ te ahumahi katoa, engari he wa¯ hou ano¯ kia whai whakaaro ta¯tou ki te nui whakaharahara o to¯ ta¯tou hı¯tori.’’
Toi Tu¯ Toi Ora will include new, specially commissioned, artworks, including an interactive exhibition in the gallery’s family-friendly Creative Learning Centre, by Auckland-based artist Charlotte Graham, and a new installation by Ana Iti on the gallery’s exterior sculpture terrace, connecting the gallery with nearby Albert Park.
E whai wa¯hi ana hoki ki Toi Tu¯ Toi Ora, ko e¯tahi toi i tonoa motuhakengia, pe¯nei i te wakaaturanga taunekeneke a te tohunga toi o Ta¯maki-makaurau, a Charlotte Graham, e whakaaria ana ki te wa¯hanga wha¯nau o te taiwhanga, ara¯, ki te Pu¯tahi Ako Auaha, me te whakatu¯ranga hou a Ana Iti, ka tu¯ ki te papa whao a¯-waho o te taiwhanga e hono atu ana ki te Whenua Ra¯hui o Albert.
A major new work by painter and sculptor Reuben Paterson will also be installed in the gallery’s forecourt pool next year.
Hei te tau titoki kua whakatu¯hia te mahinga nui a te kaipeita me te ringa whao a Reuben Paterson ki te ho¯pua o te mahau o te taiwhanga.
Auckland Art Gallery director Kirsten Paisley said the ambitious inter-generational exhibition would celebrate the dynamic and changing expression of contemporary Ma¯ori art.
E ai ki te kaiwhakahaere o Toi Ta¯maki a Kirsten Paisley, ma¯ te whakaatu i nga¯ toi a nga¯ reanga whakapapa tohunga toi, ka whakatairangahia nga¯ takahuringa o te toi Ma¯ori.
‘‘[It is] monumental in its storytelling and its scale, and speaks to the very core of the gallery’s purpose as a bicultural place for the championing of New Zealand art.’’
He ka¯mehameha o¯na ko¯rero tuku iho, to¯na wha¯nui. He tohu te¯nei ki te tino kaupapa ake o te taiwhanga, ara¯, kia noho hei taiao ka¯kano-rua mo¯ te whakaihuwaka i nga¯ toi o Aotearoa.’’
‘‘It will stimulate critical discussion about the place of contemporary Ma¯ori art.’’ Curator Nigel Borell
Te reo Ma¯ori translation courtesy of Te Taura Whiri i te reo Ma¯ori, the Ma¯ori Language Commission