About Me

Ko Tainui te waka.
Ko Whitireia te maunga.
Ko Parirua ngā tai.
Ko Raukawakawa te moana.
Ko Takapūwāhia te marae.
Ko Ngāti Toarangatira te iwi.

I belong to the Ngāti Toarangatira tribe of the Wellington region, North Island, Aotearoa, New Zealand. I also whakapapa to Te Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai, Ngāti Raukawa ki te tonga, Ngāti Koata and Ngai Tahu.

I have been an independent tā moko practitioner since 2012 and travel extensively throughout Aotearoa (New Zealand) and around the world tattooing at different places throughout the year - for more info please see my bookings page. I spent three years as an apprentice learning about tā moko prior to 2012.

Nowadays, I am particularly interested in the healing aspect/potential of tā moko tattooing for my clients, and the power of transformation contained within this taonga tuku iho (treasure passed down). Modern ceremony (based on tradition) is something I am currently exploring more and more in my tattooing practice.

"Born in 1984, Taryn Beri specializes in taa moko (cultural tattooing), digital art and contemporary Māori painting.

Her journey as a professional artist started in 2008 when she moved to Gisborne to study at Toihoukura Māori Art School where she learned for one year.

Following that, she began an intense one-on-one taa moko apprenticeship on the East Coast of New Zealand with a tohunga (master/expert) cultural tattooer. 

For three years she learned the tikanga (protocols), culture, techniques, patterns and designs associated with the cultural practice of taa moko.

In 2010 she was given an award for emerging Māori artists by the New Zealand government organisation, Creative New Zealand.

In 2011, she studied Mātauranga Māori (traditional knowledge) for one year at Te Wānanga o Raukawa. 

In 2012 Taryn set out on her own to develop her art practice as a full time professional artist. 

In late 2013, Taryn gave birth to a beautiful baby daughter, named Niwareka. Themes of motherhood, conception, creation, birth, ancestral memory, transformation, personal growth, DNA information and the continuum of whakapapa (genealogy) from ancestors to offspring also feature in many of her art works.

Her ancestors Te Rauparaha and Nohorua inspire many of her art works and ideas. Māori cosmology, flowers, the stars, moon, sun, lightning and other natural phenomena also feature often in her artworks.

The inter-relatedness, similarities and commonalities between different indigenous groups of people around the world is of great interest to her.

Prior to 2008, her background was in Māori fashion and adornment design, graphic design, branding, marketing and business management.

Taryn has been involved with exhibitions at venues such as Te Papa Tongarewa National Museum of New Zealand, The Royal Ontario Museum (Canada), The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, The Agung Rai Museum of Art (Bali), The National Library of New Zealand, Manifacto Amsterdam, The Field Museum (Chicago), Musee du quai Branly (Paris), Ora NY Gallery (New York), Museo de la las culturas (Mexico City) and Musee de la civilization (Quebec) among others.

She travels extensively throughout New Zealand and around the world tattooing, painting and exhibiting. Her favorite destinations to visit so far have been India, Egypt, Tahiti, Paris, Amsterdam, Mallorca, Dubai, New York and Bali. 

She draws great inspiration from the different cultures, peoples and styles of art that she encounters on her journeys.

She belongs to the Ngāti Toarangatira, Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Raukawa ki te tonga, and Ngai Tahu tribes."

Highlights along the way

Exhibiting artist in ‘Waitangi, why tangi, why we tangi’ at Brookfields Gallery, Whakatane, 2022.

Exhibiting artist in ‘Waitangi, why tangi, why we tangi’ at Square Edge, Palmerston North, 2022.

Exhibiting artist in ‘Matariki Whakanuia’ at Kiwibank produced by Creative Manaaki, Paraparaumu, 2022.

Exhibiting artist in ‘Tattoo’ exhibition at Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan, 2019.

Exhibiting artist in ‘Being female here now’ at Mahara Gallery, Waikanae, 2018.

Exhibiting artist in ‘Mahinga Kai’ at Mahara Gallery, Waikanae, 2018.

Performing artist and spoken word poet at the Indigenous Celebration at the Agung Rai Museum of Art, Bali, 2018.

Delivered cultural tattooing workshop at The Green School, Bali, 2018.

Delivered cultural tattooing workshop at the Agung Rai Museum of Art, Bali, 2018.

Curator and exhibiting artist + spoken word poet for 'Māori Modern' group art exhibition, Perth, Western Australia, 2018.

Facilitated the second 'Wāhine Power Circle' event, Perth, Western Australia, 2018.

Facilitated 'Aroha Within, Aroha Without' live personal development event, Perth, Western Australia, 2017.

Guest tā moko artist at Mana Wāhine Week, Te Rau Aroha Marae, Bluff, 2017.

Solo exhibition 'Purapura Whetū' opened in Perth, Western Australia, 2017.

Facilitated the first 'Wāhine Power Circle' event in Perth, Western Australia, 2017.

Original paintings exhibited in 'Whitu ngā whetu' group exhibition at Ki Gallery (Karanga Ink), Auckland, 2017.

Speaker and spoken word poet at a Māori Art + Music Salon at Manifacto Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2017.

Tā moko tattooer and cultural performer at the Amsterdam Tattoo Convention, The Netherlands, 2017.

Invited guest moko artist and cultural performer at the Traditional World Culture + Tattoo Festival alongside a group of other amazing Māori artists and cultural practitioners (Te Karanga o Niwareka), Mallorca (Spain), 2017.

Original painting featured in 'Tattoo' exhibition at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, The United States, 2017.

Included artist in 'Wāhine: Ngā Wāhine Māori, beyond the dusky maiden' exhibition at The National Library of New Zealand, 2017.

Guest moko artist at the closing week of the 'Whiti te rā' exhibition at Te Papa Tongarewa National Museum of New Zealand, 2017.

Painting featured in the 'Tattoos' exhibition at The Field Museum, Chicago, 2017.

Spoken word poet on Waitangi Day at Pātaka Art + Museum, Porirua, 2017.

Exhibiting artist and spoken word poet in 'The art of resistance is the act of persistence' exhibition at Tāneatua Gallery, Tāneatua, 2017.

Guest moko artist at Ngāti Toa Artists Village, Te Papa Tongarewa National Museum of New Zealand, 2017.

Original paintings exhibited in 'Hine Raumati' exhibition at Pātaka Art + Museum, Porirua, 2016.

Exhibiting artist at Ora NY Gallery, New York, 2016.

Exhibiting artist in 'Tuatea' exhibition at Toi Wāhine HQ, Porirua, 2016.

Guest moko artist at Te Papa Tongarewa National Museum of New Zealand, Ngāti Toa Matariki Weekend, Wellington, 2016.

Exhibiting artist at Ki Gallery (Karanga Ink), Auckland, 2016.

Painting featured in 'Tattoos: Ritual, identity, obsession, art' exhibition in Canada at the Royal Ontario Museum, 2016.

Invited guest moko artist at Pasifika Festival, Auckland, 2016.

Illustrated first children's book project launched at Takapūwāhia Marae, Porirua, 2016.

Exhibiting artist in 'Whakatupuranga, Past, Present & Future Generations' exhibition at Mahara Gallery, Waikanae, 2016.

Formed the Toi Wāhine Collective and opened Toi Wāhine HQ with a group of Māori women artists, Porirua, 2015.

Guest moko artist at Conscious Roots Festival, Hongoeka Marae, 2015.

Tā moko tattooer at Indigneous Ink, Auckland, 2015.

Guest moko artist at Te Papa Tongarewa National Museum of New Zealand, Ngāti Toa Matariki Weekend, Wellington, 2015.

Exhibiting artist and guest moko artist at 'He Toi Reikorangi - Te Ātiawa artists celebrate Matariki' exhibition hosted by Mahara Gallery, Waikanae, 2015.

Invited by The Suter Gallery to be a guest moko artist at 'He Kitenga: A glimpse of the future' exhibition, Nelson, 2015.

Painting featured at Musee du quai Branly as part of 'Tattooists Tattooed' exhibition, Paris, 2014.

Featured in 'Whiti te rā, the story of Ngāti Toarangatira' exhibition at Te Papa Tongarewa National Museum of New Zealand, 2014.

Started touring as an independent moko artist, and has since been tattooing and doing guest spots at studios and locations such as NY Adorned (New York), Arts Elemental (Gold Coast), Primitive Tattoo (Perth), Kings Cross Ink (Sydney), Tatt Datt (Melbourne), Pacific Tattoo (Paekakariki), Hetet Studios (Waiwhetu), Nelson, Auckland, Wellington, Ōtaki, Waikanae, Porirua, Southland (Murihiku), Amsterdam, Spain, London and Paris, 2012 - 2022.

Featured in 'E tū ake: standing strong' exhibition at Te Papa Tongarewa National Museum of New Zealand. This show also traveled to Musee du quai Branly, Paris, Museo de la las culturas, Mexico City, and Musee de la civilization, Quebec, 2011.

Opened 'Moko Ake' studio in Titahi Bay with mentor, 2011.

Studied first year of Bachelor Degree in Mātauranga Māori, Te Wānanga o Raukawa, Ōtaki, 2011.

Awarded Creative New Zealand Te Waka Toi Scholarship for Emerging Māori Artists, 2010.

Started three year tā moko apprenticeship with Mark Kopua, Tolaga Bay, 2009.

Digital series 'Matariki' purchased by Gisborne Museum as part of their permanent collection, the same series also winning a first place multimedia category art award at NZ National Womens Art Show, 2008.

Completed first year of Bachelor Degree in Māori Art + Design at Toihukura School of Māori Art & Visual Design, Gisborne, 2008.

Ran Māori streetwear label and then retail boutique over a five year period, Blackberi Aotearoawear + Stand Up Ltd, Wellington, 2003 - 2008.

Completed Certificate in Small Business Management, Open Polytechnic, Wellington, 2003.

Completed Diploma of Computer Graphic Design, Natcol Design + Technology, Wellington, 2002.