ArtBeat
Kia ora is not just a greeting, it acknowledges one's well-being, their mana and the tapu that surrounds
Them, and “Whaea” is mother, aunt, and aunty. Kia Ora Whaea, is an expression of affection for the wāhine, carrying our pasts and futures, an affirmation of the vital role mothers play in the hauora (health) of us all. Kia Ora Whaea explores maternal, mental health from wāhine Māori perspectives, substantiating the effects of colonialism on indigenous maternity. The participating artists uphold the mana of their tūpuna and themselves and descendants, sharing and normalising their stories and art practices.
The artists are: Caitlin Rose Donnelly, (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Pākehā) a multidisciplinary artist, her practice analysing being Wahine Māori. Piupiu Maya Turei, (Wairarapa Moana, Te Ātihaunui-a-Pāpārangi) an Ōtepoti artist and curator, and founder/ facilitator of experimental artist-run gallery, Tini Whetū Project Space. Alix Ashworth, (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha), a multimedia artist based in Ōtautahi, creating works celebrating indigenous and non-indigenous handwork. Kate Stevens West, (Kāi Tahu, Pākehā) a painter whose mahi toi focuses on family and intergenerational secrets and stories. Vicki Lenihan (Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe, Ngāi Tahu) an Ōtepoti-based multimedia artist whose practice centres on sustainability, highlighting issues connected to self-determination, and Emma Kitson (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha) an artist, designer and curator, residing in Whanganui- a-Tara Wellington, Kitson has been employed at many museums and galleries in New Zealand and Australia.
DETAILS
Kia ora Whaea, COCA Toi Moroki
66 Gloucester Street, 10 February – 16 March
IMAGE
2. Emma Kitson, 'I te māra o te pō (Tākata Wairua) in the night garden', Blue Oyster Gallery 2022 - detail, photo credit: Rosa Nevison