The body of work itself was inspired by a pūrākau (Māori narrative) that describes how the eldest child Urutengangana of Ranginui and Papatūānuku fought with his siblings.
The disagreement led Uru to flee into the heavens where he hid under his father’s cloak and cried many tears.
Because it was so cold, Uru’s tears solidified and lay scattered. Uru then gathered these translucent teardrops up and placed them into numerous kete (woven bags).
Uru’s younger sibling Tāne later came to visit him and asked him for the kete that housed his tears. Tāne then took these tears and placed them over their father’s body in the heavens, thus creating the sun, moon and the many stars we see today.
The sculptural exhibition took around three months to create and is made up of woven sculptures that recall the ancestral story above of the whānau mārama (the celestial family of light).
Each piece is made from native fibre while using indigenous techniques and designs.
“Finding the inspiration takes the most time,” Michelle says.
“I had to do a lot of research first to develop the idea and explore the thought around it. This required a lot of rangahau (research) and discussions with my peers and mentors. It is that body of knowledge that gives me the energy I need to continue and complete the work.”
Michelle was a finalist in the Kiingi Tūheitia Portraiture Awards 2023 and her piece Ngā Huna Kōrero is currently touring Aotearoa for the next 12 months.
She left Toihoukura in 2021 where she graduated Te Hono ki Toi (Poutiriao) with a Master of Professional Creative Practice.
“Toihoukura took my traditional background and helped me bring it into a more contemporary space by using research and evolving techniques and practices — like the harakeke beads I created in my honours year,” she says.
“At Toihoukura they encourage you to push your medium further.”
Since graduating Michelle has been working at Hoea Gallery in Grey Street as well as being kairaranga in the Mahi a Atua kaupapa working with psychiatrist Dr Diane Kopua and her husband tohunga Mark Kopua.
Michelle and her sisters Claudette and Fiona Collis also work with Te Aitanga a Hauiti Hauora and Tūranga Health where they teach new mothers how to make wahakura, a traditional Maori sleeping basket for babies.
This year Michelle will begin a teaching job at Toihoukura which was an aspiration of hers when she first started studying there.
“When I first went to Toihukoura, it was my dream to work there.”
She is hoping to be able to continue her own art practice while teaching and is looking forward to starting in February.
“No reira, ka tipu te whaihanga e hika, ki Uawa!” (And the arts flourished, my son, in Uawa.)
