Toi Mahara invite Darcy Nicholas to be patron
Kapiti’s district gallery invites esteemed artist
Māori artist Darcy Nicholas is excited to have been invited to be patron of Toi Mahara. Nicholas is a distinguished contemporary Māori artist and arts administrator and was recently awarded the Tauranga Moana Award for enduring artistic contribution.
Toi Mahara is Kāpiti’s district gallery and has recently been redeveloped.
Mahara Gallery Trust Board chairman Gordon Shroff said the board is thrilled to have the support and encouragement of an artist and administrator of such reputation and experience.
“Darcy has been a leader in the contemporary Māori art movement for many years — since the 1960s.”
Shroff said as an artist, Nicholas has exhibited widely in New Zealand and in many countries around the world.
“Such is his stature, he was commissioned to produce a sculpture for the opening of Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in 2015.
“He has also built a formidable reputation as an art administrator. During his 20 years as the general manager of community services for Porirua City Council, he created the Pataka+Art Museum and integrated it with the public library. That experience will be extremely valuable for Toi Mahara as we build the newly redeveloped gallery into a hub for community creativity and a significant visitor attraction.”
Another valuable quality, Shroff said, is Nicholas’ strong links with the area. He identifies as Te Atiawa, ¯ has connections to the other iwi in Kāpiti, and has past family connections to Waikanae.
Nicholas was born in Waitara, Taranaki. He is of Kāhui Maunga, Te Ā tiawa, Ngāti Ruanui, Tauranga Moana and Ngāti Hauā iwi.
He is a former Fulbright scholar. In 2010, he was awarded a Queen’s Service Order (QSO) for services to museums, and in 2013, he received the Te Arikinui Queen Te Atairangikaahu Award for exemplary services to Māori art.
“We are all indigenous to this planet Earth’ is a comment I have often made,” Nicholas said. “It is our creativity that makes us stand out, and that starts with the world of knowledge which is stored in modern libraries. That’s why it’s important for the gallery and the library to work closely together.”