New exhibition showcases Māori moving image

Rock up to Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū this winter to catch innovative moving image works by leading Māori artists.

The gallery's newest exhibition, Māori Moving Image ki Te Puna o Waiwhetū, will be showing from Saturday 4 June to Sunday 16 October, featuring recent moving image artworks ranging from slick animation to 16mm film, and even a spot of karaoke. The exhibition is a rich collection of works that showcase differing creative perspectives on issues that are important to Māori, putting history, lived experience and radical hope at the centre.

Visitors can expect a huge variety of look and feel, with subject matter including such diverse topics as World War II, tīwakawaka, and Christian Louboutin. Co-curator Melanie Oliver describes the exhibition as "a unique alignment of forms and concepts of toi ataata – visual art – with those of ngā mahi a rēhia – performance art.”

The karaoke feature is a first for the gallery, with a special niche set aside for visitors to sing along to beloved Māori songs, accompanied by visuals created by Māori visual artists and even a glittering disco or 'Pāuaball' by Terri Te Tau to get you in the grooving mood.

Māori Moving Image ki Te Puna o Waiwhetū showcases the work of emerging talents and celebrated favourites including Shannon Te Ao, Luther Ashford, Sarah Hudson, Ana Iti, Jeremy Leatinu’u, Nova Paul, Rachael Rakena, Lisa Reihana and Kauri Wharewera.

Māori Moving Image ki Te Puna o Waiwhetū
Sat 4 Jun - Sun 16 Oct
christchurchartgallery.org.nz

New exhibition showcases Māori moving image

Jamie Berry A.E.I.O.U (Akona Te Reo) 2021. Single-channel karaoke video; 3 min, 58 sec. Written and performed by Moana and the Moahunters. Courtesy of the artist, Moana Maniapoto and Blackpearl Ltd.

Ashford 3 web

Luther Ashford Poi E 2022. Single-channel karaoke video; 3 min, 58 sec. Written by Dalvanius Prime and Ngoi Pēwhairangi; performed by Pātea Māori Club. Courtesy of the artist and the Dalvanius Prime Estate.

Tamaki 3 web

Suzanne Tamaki Owner 2021. Single-channel karaoke video; 3 min, 24 sec. Written and performed by Ria Hall. Videography by Elise Lanigan. Courtesy of the artist, Loop Publishing/Kobalt and Loop Recordings Aot(ear)oa.