Contemporary Māori Art
My 'Puanga' painting. Click on the image to buy yours.
I am excited to be a part of a collaborative group Māori art exhibition opening at The Māoriland Hub on Tuesday 10th July at 5.30PM in Ōtaki.
CLICK HERE to learn more about this exhibition and its calendar of special events.
I am excited to be exhibiting some new original works at Mahara Gallery next month with a group of artists in the exhibition 'Mahinga kai, our gardens, cultivations and food gathering'.
Hope to see some of you there. The exhibition opens on FRIDAY 15TH JUNE 2018 at 5PM. Nau mai haere mai!
Waikanae is significant to me because my grandmother was from there and her marae Whakarongotai, is located there.
No matter how far and wide I travel, home is still always where my heart is and spending time at home is hugely important to me and my little family, always has been and always will be, regardless of how hectic my travel schedule can sometimes get.
Once I danced with a shaman
She had bangles from wrist to elbow
And she jingled
And she jangled
Her dark eyes were black pools
Of secret knowledge
Other worlds
And deep magick
She pulled me in with the rhythm
Of her body and her magick bracelets
We twirled and swayed
We laughed and laughed
High on something else
On what I am not sure
But I liked it
Our souls understood each other in that moment
Languages different from the tounge
But on that dance floor
We riffed and debated
Conversated
And demonstrated
What it was to connect on another level
Ancient beats
Simple
Uncomplicated
Listen and feel
Move
Feel the joy
And surrender
Thank you to that woman
For liberating me in that moment
She guided me into surrender
And I experienced other worlds
In her twirling twirl
Her toothless smile
Wide all encompassing heart
Black eyes
And abandoned laughter
I did not know her name
Or her village
But I will never forget her
Could have been 111 years old
Or maybe 11
Doesn’t matter
She changed something in me
That night on the dance floor
I remembered something I had long forgotten
And I’m grateful
A relief
A soothing balm
May her and her ancient ways never come to harm
Straight out the jungle for a moment in time
And now she returns
And now we all return
But we remember
'Call on them and they shall appear'.
I have books coming out soon!
Live taonga pūoro at the opening night created a wonderful ambience.
Big thanks to everyone that came along to the opening night at The Sound Temple!
'Hiwa i te rangi, your hearts desire'.
'Our ancestors watch over us'.
It was a great feeling finally have my first solo show after all these years of being a working artist!
Big thanks to The Sound Temple for hosting the exhibition.
'The people of the rainbow gather'. SOLD.
'Celestial Connections' SOLD and 'Star Seeds' on the right.
I love doing large scale paintings! The more I do, the more I want to do!
Spoken word poetry performance at the opening night, with taonga pūoro accompaniment by Jerome Kavanagh.
'The many radiant descendants'.
Giving an artist talk on all the paintings and the concept for the exhibition.
'Manu Ariki' limited edition signed art prints.
This limited edition run of 50 limited edition A3 art prints have now sold out.
Thank you to everyone that purchased one!
Painting in Bali, Indonesia.
Two of my new original paintings will be exhibited at Karanga Ink this month in the upcoming exhibition 'Whitu ngā whetū' in celebration of Puanga/Matariki season.
I am thrilled to be invited to exhibit alongside some amazing artist whom I admire greatly.
If you are in Auckland, go and check out the exhibition on 26th June - 2nd July 2017.
On May 30th, 2017 I was thrilled to be involved in a Māori Art + Music Salon in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, alongside some of my favourite artists and cultural practitioners, Julie Paama-Pengelly, Pip Hartley and Jerome Kavanagh.
Thanks to Manifacto Amsterdam for hosting us, it was a fun night!
More info about the event can be found over on the Toi Tangata Māori Art Gallery page, here.
In February 2017 I traveled to Tāneatua Gallery with the Toi Wāhine Collective to exhibit some of my digital works and paintings. I also gave a spoken word poetry performance in the gallery - my first time doing anything like that. It was great to meet Tame Iti and Trina who run this awesome community based space. If you are ever in the area I highly recommend that you visit Tāneatua Gallery.
Here is a poem that I wrote in reflection AFTER my time at Tāneatua Gallery, which I then performed at Pātaka Museum + Art on Waitangi Day 2017.
Talking decolonisation
Talking no discrimination
Talking sovereignty
With Tame Iti
When I was his manuhiri
At the dope ass Tāneatua Gallery
Where it's all about the community
The community
Took a cruise down to the valley
In Ruatoki
Talking sovereignty
What does it mean to me?
It means the right to be free
It means possessing the key
To my own front door
Hey we deserve more
Time to get off the floor
And lift up the poor
We deserve more
When the Toi Wāhine Crew
Come though
Bringing the new
Yo we do the do
Coz talk is cheap
And whining is weak
Who got the guts to really speak
To the issue
Bullying psychophants hear me diss you
When I put on display
My art from the heart
I cause disarray
Nerves they will fray
And haters gon pay
Come what may
You heard me say!
It's an indigenous uprising
And it's not surprising
That when we come together
Coz we so very clever
Native nation to nation
In the spirit of collaboration
And innovation
Motivation
Lets save the nation
Oh the anticipation
Of this new proclamation
It's an indigenous evolution
Revolution
Around the world
Racist haters can get twirled
Like Beyonce said
When she killed them all dead
With her 'black lives matter'
Time to reduce the chatter
Call me a mad hatter
While the rich get fatter
Time to flip the script
Improve the derelict
Change negative into positive
Time to do that for our kids
Me and my neonatives we come quick
To the mark
Straight to the heart
Can't tear us apart
When we stand united
Can't be divided
Indigenous people around the world
We will be heard
Return of the bird
This is my word
Indigenous people we will be heard
Won't be deterred
A new paradigm
Is about to be birthed
Time for us to come first
Because oppression is the worst
In all of it's forms
Time to smash all of the norms
Don't ever ask me to conform
Make you wish you weren't born
We gonna rewrite all of those laws
That came from foreign shores
Get ya dirty paws
Off my art and culture
These fucken vultures
The dawn of a new era
Is getting clearer
Decolonise your mind
One thought at a time
One of my digital works in the exhibition.
A digital installation I made for this exhibition, with help from my friend Sian.
Two of my paintings in this exhibition.
Thanks to everyone that purchased a 2017 calendar! They are now all sold out. Mauriora!
Limited edition of 10 signed A3 sized art prints featuring the 'Sovereign' design now all sold out.
Thank you to everyone that purchased!
Looking forward to the exhibition opening of 'Hine Raumati' on 10th December 2016 showing in the Tangerine Room at Pātaka Museum + Art until 24th December 2016.
Featuring works by:
Robyn Kahukiwa
Xoe Hall
Miriama Grace-Smith
Sian Montgomery-Neutze
Sophie Jolley
Pikihuia Haenga
Isobel Joy Te Aho-White
Vianney Parata
Paretapu Waru
Kaea Graham
Keri-Mei Zagrobelna
Taryn Beri
Poster design by Xoe Hall.
For more info visit www.toiwahinecollective.com.
I am excited to currently be working on a collection of simple and classic snap back hats due to be available in time for summer 2016/2017! These hats will be custom made to order and will be available exclusively on my website.
UPCOMING DESIGNS INCLUDE:
KUĪNI
NEO NATIVE
SOVEREIGN
DECOLONISE YOUR MIND
ART AS ACTIVISM
INDIGENOUS ARTISTS UNITE
Our group for the evening. Thanks everyone for coming along!
Special thanks to everyone who came along to the intimate evening of Māori Art that we (myself and fellow moko artists Sian Montgomery-Neutze and Pip Hartley) held in Melbourne, Australia recently.
It was a fun night and we are grateful to everyone that came along to show their support, learn about the artworks that were available for purchase at the event, and to hear our artists talks. We had hoped to have some special guest VIP aboriginal artists in attendance at the event, but unfortunately they couldn't make it. We hope to work more collaboratively with the indigenous people of Australia at future art events like this in Oz.
We plan to run several more collaborative, intimate and informative special events of this nature in future, at different locations around the world!
Big thanks also to Aaron Stevenson who was our photographer for the night, you can check out more of his photography work here.
More info on the event can be found here.
Original paintings for sale on the night by Sian Montgomery-Neutze.
Sian Montgomery-Neutze giving her artist talk.
Sian Montgomery-Neutze giving her artist talk.
Some of the artwork that was for sale on the night.
Some of the artwork that was for sale on the night by Miriama Grace-Smith (on the left) and Xoe Hall (on the right).
Giving my artist talk.
Viewing prints by celebrated Maori artist, Robyn Kahukiwa.
Viewing some of the collection that was available on the night.
Giving my artist talk at the one off special event.
With Melbourne based photographer, Aaron Stevenson.
Some of the contemporary Māori art collection that was available at the special event.
Some of the contemporary Māori art collection that was available at the special event.
Listening to artist talks.
An original drawing by renowned Māori artist Robyn Kahukiwa (above) and small taaniko, leather and toroa feather taonga by Sian Montgomery-Neutze (below).
Artist Pip Hartley with new friends.
Some great discussions were had.
Explaining my interpretation of original works by internationally renowned Māori artist, Robyn Kahukiwa.
Some of the contemporary Māori art collection that was available at the special event.
An original painting by Sian Montgomery-Neutze.
Pip Hartley of Karanga Ink giving her artist talk.
Some of the contemporary Māori art collection that was available at the special event.
Prints by Xoe Hall.
I was thrilled to organize this exhibition alongside the Toi Wāhine Collective at 10 Hartham Place, Porirua, Wellington. Check out our group website here for more info about who we are and what we do. I had three original paintings in this show and it was a privilege to exhibit alongside the following artists:
Robyn Kahukiwa (Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga a Hauiti)
Kohai Grace (Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Raukawa, Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Porou)
Elaine Bevan (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Toa)
Julie Paama-Pengally (Tauranga Moana)
Evelyn Ross (Ngai Tuhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu)
Hayley Galo (Ngāti Toa)
Kaea Graham (Tūwharetoa, Te Rarawa, Taranaki)
Regan Balzer (Te Arawa, Ngāti Ranginui)
Vianney Parata (Ngāti Toa)
Aria Whaanga (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rakaipaaka)
Natasha Keating (Tūwharetoa, Ngaio Tuhoe, Te Ati Hau a Paparangi)
Pikihuia Haenga (Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Porou)
Sian Montgomery-Neutze (Muaūpoko, Ngai Tara)
Briar Allen (Muaūpoko, Ngaio Tara)
Taryn Beri (Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Raukawa, Te Ātiawa)
Keri-Mei Zagrobelna (Te Whanau a Apanui, Te Ātiawa)
Miriama Grace-Smith (Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Hau, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Porou)
Rangimarie Sophie Jolley (Waikato - Tainui)
Xoe Hall (Kai Tahu)
Stevei Houkamau (Ngāti Porou, Rangitāne, Te Whānau a Apanui)
Kui Topia (Ngapuhi)
Paretapu Penetito-Waru (Te Rarawa, Te Aupouri, Ngāti Hauā)
Lydia Wihapi (Ngāti Maniapoto)
Maakarita Paku (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu, Muriwhenua, Lakota Oyate)
Jo Haenga (Ngāti Porou)
This exhibition opened on 23rd June 2016 and will run for six weeks.
Nau mai haere mai ki te tautoko tenei kaupapa!
Framed version of the sold out limited edition digital art prints.
Printed in Porirua on silk matt 300gsm heavy paper, 449mm x 319mm in size.
"In a childs eyes, a mother is a goddess, she can be glorious or terrible, benevolent or filled with wrath, but she commands love either way."
Thanks to everyone that purchased one of these 10 limited edition digital art prints! I really appreciate it! Mauriora!
At Ora Ny Gallery with works by myself and the Toi Wāhine Collective exhibited behind me.
It was a three part trip - my partner, taonga puoro artist Jerome Kavanagh had a performance at The Lincoln Center to attend, I did a guest spot tattooing at NY Adorned, and I took over a capsule collection of art work to be exhibited at Ora Ny Gallery by the Toi Wāhine Collective. Phew it was an amazing whirlwind two trip and New York was so good to us, and I am so grateful to all of the inspiring conscious people we met over there!
Our Toi Wāhine Collective two day pop up shop at Ora Ny Gallery was off the hook!
I was very grateful to have esteemed contemporary Māori dancers Jack Grey, Louise Potiki Bryant, members of Altamira Dance Crew and their indigenous friends come and perform at our pop up shop on the final evening at the gallery.
Very grateful to New Zealand musicians Andrew White, Paddy Free of Pitch Black and Jerome Kavanagh for performing live in the gallery on both evenings at our pop up shop.
With my Navajo friend Precious at Ny Adorned after tattooing her.
Resin jewelry by Evelyn Ross that was part of the capsule collection I took to New York.
Hanging outside Ora Ny Gallery with New Zealand Photographer Nichola Clark and friend.
Moko completed for a Taranaki born client at Ny Adorned.
Dressed up and ready to roll out for one of my first nights in New York City!
With all of the amazing dancers that graced the exhibition space on the final evening of our pop up shop exhibition.
Kirituhi completed for an African-American woman at Ny Adorned.
The performance that my partner was invited to be a part of at The Lincoln Center was pretty awe inspiring!
I buzzed out on how many psychic shops were in NYC - they seemed to be as common as dairies are in New Zealand!
Taaniko work by Kui Topia that was part of the Toi Wāhine Collective pop up shop.
With New York based Māori gallerist John Royal and his daughter.
Kirituhi for my new friend Grace from Trinidad and Tobago at Ny Adorned.
Tattooing an American born Māori man at NY Adorned.
With new friends Keke and Giarna Te Kanawa, gallerist of Ora Ny Gallery.
Kirituhi at Ny Adorned for a Columbian woman.
Being a poser in the back of a New York yellow cab.
At Ora Ny Gallery.
With a Hawaiian Māoli woman that I met at the gallery, it was so great meeting so many Polynesians from all over in New York.
Outside Ny Adorned.
At the after party of The Lincoln Center performance, 'Calling All Dawns'.
With my new friends Tiff and Sammay at Ora Ny Gallery.
So awesome getting to meet indigenous First Nations performer, Supaman at The Shrine in Harlem.
A projected image of contemporary Māori jeweler, Keri-Mei Zagrobelna on the wall of Ora Ny Gallery as part of a moving portraits film installation by Pikihuia Haenga that was part of our pop up shop exhibition.
My New York family on the trip.
Partay time at the gallery once all the work was finished.
Posey posers.
With new friends Amy and Cristina at the gallery.
A selection of the capsule collection by Toi Wāhine Collective at Ora Ny Gallery.
With my new friend Sammay, Filipino dancer.
Moko completed for an American born Māori man at Ny Adorned.
I am beyond excited about taking a selection of art works by the Toi Wāhine Collective to ORA NY GALLERY in NEW YORK CITY very soon! Included in the capsule collection will be original paperworks, open and limited edition art prints, contemporary taonga, jewelry and a film installation.
Special guest friends of the Toi Wāhine Collective will also be performing in the gallery space on both evenings. If you have friends and whānau in New York, please share this panui with them, and help us share some of our art with the world.
Thank you!
Awhina Tamarapa, Xoe Hall, Rangimarie Sophie Jolley, and Kaea Graham.
What initially started as a one-off, three week exhibition of seven Māori women artists has grown and multiplied into something far greater and more awesome! The Toi Wāhine Collective has been very fortunate to be able to continue to occupy our HQ space at 10 Hartham Place, Porirua.
We opened our second exhibition on 6th January with an intimate gathering, and this time around we had several new guest artists join the fold. Included in the second round of Toi Wāhine, alongside our initial seven founding members were artists:
Robyn Kahukiwa
Alison Waru
Jess Potiki
Kaea Graham
Awhina Tamarapa
Pip Hartley
Stevei Houkamau
Kui Topia
Hayley Galo
Maxine Montgomery
The Toi Wāhine Collective is very grateful to have the support of these outstanding Māori Women Artists and to include the work of these women into our ever-evolving and expanding art project.
Tomorrow (26th Feb) will see phase three of Toi Wāhine born, with new works being hung, and more new artists contributing to our kaupapa.
18 year old artist Kaea Graham hanging works for phase two of Toi Wāhine.
My new fashion project launched during phase two of Toi Wāhine.
Founding member Sian Montgomery-Neutze and some of our tamariki practicing their kirituhi skills at the space.
A sold work by Robyn Kahukiwa, whom we are over the moon to have involved in our project.
Work by Robyn Kahukiwa for the childrens book 'The Blue Book and Other Stories' written by Rangimarie Sophie Jolley and illustrated by Robyn. You can order one of these books at Toi Wāhine HQ.
Work by Jess Potiki included in phase two.
Detail of painting by Sian Montgomery-Neutze.
Me and guest moko artist Pip Hartley of Tuwharetoa outside the space.
Tamariki of Toi Wāhine, Niwareka and Maahaki.
Detail of painting by Alison Waru from the East Coast.
My new fashion project launched at the space during phase two.
My new fashion project launched at the space during phase two.
Kaea Graham getting her painting ready to hang for phase two.
Me with a lovely moko client during phase two.
New notebooks I launched during phase two.
My new fashion project launched during phase two.
Me with Ngāti Toa whānau that came to Toi Wāhine HQ for tā moko during phase two.
A new style i've started experimenting with during phase two.
New painting by founding member Pikihuia Haenga-Carkeek.
We were thrilled to host guest moko artist Pip Hartley at the space for a few days visiting from Karanga Ink in Auckland.
Guest moko artist Pip Hartley working on a painting at the space.
The ever evolving front of HQ during phase two.
Freehand draw up before the tattooing process begins on one of my clients during phase two.
Moko artist Sian Montgomery-Neutze tattooing clay artist Stevei Houkamau.
New sets of small art prints I launched during phase two.
New work by Pikihuia Haenga-Carkeek that always makes people laugh when they come in.
Moko artist Sian Montgomery-Neutze putting in work at the space.
Work by Robyn Kahukiwa at Toi Wāhine HQ.
Work I completed at TWHQ for a New Zealand woman currently working as a lawyer in Cayman Islands.
Our signage is always changing like we are.
Original painting by Robyn Kahukiwa at Toi Wāhine HQ.
Our youngest artist Kaea Graham putting in work at our most recent art making waananga.
Our most recent art making waananga in the space.
Our most recent art making waananga at the space.
Our most recent art making waananga at the space.
My shoes adorned by Kaea Graham at our most recent art making waananga.
Kaea Graham putting in work at our most recent art making waananga.
