Michael Parekowhai’s Venice Biennale exhibition On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer opened at Te Papa on Friday. The installation looks stunning, clustered in the middle of the space and the sound with the acoustics of the gallery with that high ceiling is wonderful. The exhibition is only on for aRead more
In the past, this was a dedicated whare, or house, where aspects of the fine arts of Māori weaving were taught. Today, ‘Te Whare Pora’ is more of a state of mind of an expert senior weaver, who carries or embodies the values, skills and knowledge of this discipline, aRead more
After being away from work for over two months it was such a joy to see the Kahu Ora exhibition again. Over 48,000 people have visited so far in the two and a half months since its opening. That’s really amazing. One of the aims of this exhibition was to bringRead more
by Becs Thomas, Assistant Head Teacher, Tai Tamariki Kindergarten The experience of having Tai Tamariki Kindergarten children’s kākahu displayed in Kahu Ora Living Cloaks has been a wonderful learning journey for our kindergarten community, both culturally and in the learning of exhibition protocol and process. This week the second of ourRead more
By Matariki Williams As many of you will probably know, it is school holidays time and Te Papa is buzzing with the energy of its many extra little visitors. Kahu Ora is no exception and when I went in to talk to the new weavers in residence, I was veryRead more
As an art conservation student, I was frequently encouraged by my tutors to think of my profession as a three-legged stool—a platform supported by the three disciplines of connoisseurship, fine arts, and science. Understanding the science of how materials age is critical for being able to slow down deterioration. In addition,Read more
by Matariki Williams A highlight for me in Kahu Ora is a kākahu that is in the process of being cleaned by Textile Conservator Anne Peranteau. This kahu kurī is from between 1750 and 1840, of unknown provenance, and is made from strips of the pelt of a kurī (Polynesian dog) sewnRead more
This is the third day of the Festival and there are way too many things and sights to properly explain. I can only give samples and highlights, and even these are too numerous to do it justice. The NZ delegation has jumped into action, performing and creating. The Festival villageRead more
Every four years, an enormous event called the Festival of Pacific Arts is held in a different part of the Pacific. It is one of the most significant pan-Pacific gatherings where island nations from across Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia meet to share their arts – customary and contemporary – andRead more
by Matariki Williams Aside from the kākahu on display, Kahu Ora presents visitors with the opportunity to see three exemplars of New Zealand art close up. Two oil paintings by Charles Goldie and another from Gottfried Lindauer show kākahu in another medium and are juxtaposed by an impressive example of aRead more
Ruatepupuke II at the Field Museum Chicago In November 1992 Arapata Hakiwai was in the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago helping to re-install the Nāgti Porou whare whakairo Ruatepupuke II. Ruatepupuke II is an early example of East Coast carving that is unusual for its fully carved frontRead more
by Matariki Williams This week we are featuring two kākahu shown in Kahu Ora that employ the same weaving techniques but use distinctly different materials. These kākahu are both versions of pākē or rain capes, one from 1850-1900 and the other made in 2009 by Matthew McIntyre-Wilson. The inspiration for thisRead more
Many of the kākahu on display in Te Papa’s Kahu Ora exhibition are contemporary works that serve as fantastic examples of the vitality of raranga as an art form. During preparation of the items for display, as we dressed them on mannequins and cloak forms, we had the special opportunity to workRead more
When taonga are brought out of the stores and into the light, they have a transformative power on their descendants. This tangible feeling is elicited immediately when you enter Kahu Ora: Living Cloaks. At the opening of the exhibition, I entered the gallery to the sound of karakia reverberating aroundRead more
The scholarship, creativity, professionalism, enthusiasm, commitment and sheer hard work of the Kahu Ora: Living Cloaks team came to fruition today in the VISA gallery, and tomorrow will be on view to the public. It’s a very beautiful exhibition, and visitors will love to be transported into Te WhareRead more
