Kulimoe'anga Stone Maka, Kuini Haati 2 (Two Queen Heart) and Toga mo Bolata’ane (Tonga and Britain), 2008–10. Oil, clay, dye on tapa cloth. Installation view, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū. Courtesy of the artist.  Photograph: John Collie

DETAILS: Kulimoe’anga Stone Maka: Toga mo Bolata ‘ane

Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, corner Worcester Boulevard and Montreal Street.

Kulimoe'anga Stone Maka’s Toga mo Bolata’ane (Tonga and Britain) and Kuini Haati 2 (Two Queen Heart) are from a series of works by Stone Maka that he had initially exhibited in Ōtautahi in 2010.  How did they become a part of the Biennale of Sydney in 2020?  Stone Maka maintains that it was a surprise to hear of curator Brook Andrew’s’ interest: ‘I received an email from Te Papa, from Nina Tonga, curator of Pacific Art at and she mentioned Andrew.  I had never heard of him.  I was told that he was going to be in Christchurch to see one of the artists that he was thinking about for the Sydney Biennale, but she said; ‘Andrew wants to drop by and see you.  He came and wanted to look at my work.  I pulled out the tapa works that I had exhibited at CoCA Gallery, Tohinoa 'o' Manatu (Journal of My Memories) in 2010.  After that exhibition I put them under the bed and never put them out until Andrew arrived.  He asked if he could have a look at them.  He looked at me.  He wanted them in the Biennale’.

September 2021 Edition  SEE IT HERE.