Carved work by Josh Hurae and 'W for Wairoa' by Chantze Rohe have both been hung in Ākina Gallery, ready for the Wairoa cyclone recovery fundraiser.
Carved work by Josh Hurae and 'W for Wairoa' by Chantze Rohe have both been hung in Ākina Gallery, ready for the Wairoa cyclone recovery fundraiser.
A group of Hawke’s Bay artists have come together with Ākina Gallery to auction off artwork to raise money which will go toward Cyclone Gabrielle recovery efforts in Wairoa.
It’s not just those in Wairoa cut off, it’s also people outside of the small town isolated from their whānau and friends, who they physically can’t get in to help even if they wanted to.
The group of local artists say they are hurting not being able to get to Wairoa, so when artist Tauru Johnston reached out to Ākina Gallery owner Sacha Van Den Berg and asked if she would host a fundraising exhibition in support, it was a no-brainer.
Once the Hastings gallery owner agreed, a long line of artists that whakapapa to Wairoa wanted to donate artwork for a show and raise funds.
“It was a kaupapa that Ākina could fully get behind, and it is important to me as I also whakapapa to Wairoa, so really it’s about whānaungatanga,” Van Den Berg said.
Some of the prints available as part of Ākina Gallery’s Wairoa Cyclone fundraiser (prints by various artists).
In short, the exhibition is about the arts community doing what they can do to help, and it’s about celebrating Māori art and celebrating and supporting people.
“You usually only hear about the bad stuff in Wairoa, and Wairoa is always the forgotten town, and the artists really wanted to show the good and that they had not forgotten,” Van Den Berg said.
The decision to donate 100 per cent of proceeds to Wairoa was never really made, it just evolved that way, which Van Den Berg think is down to the kaupapa of what the artists are doing and of Ākina Gallery.
The artists have donated their artwork with no expectation of commission, some donating many pieces.
“Being Wairoa, it’s all-in or nothing,” artist Tauru Johnston said.
Van Den Berg said: “It never felt right to me to take a commission. Plus, we want to be really transparent about what we are doing.”
This painting by Cody Hollis and ceramic bowl by Annette Bull are part of Ākina Gallery’s cyclone relief fundraiser for Wairoa.
The funds raised will go to the Wairoa Mayoral Fund to be distributed and used as needed in Wairoa.
All of the artists involved have at some point been students of Sandy Adsett, studying under him at Toi Mairangai Māori art school.
Artists auctioning off their works are:
Cody Hollis
Josh Hurae
Kahu Hurae
Chantze Rohe
Javanah Abraham
Tori-Analee Houkama
Tama Raihania
Clive-based existing Ākina Gallery artist Annette Bull has also donated one of her ceramic pieces.
For those keen to take home some new art, the artworks up for auction will range from $200 to $7000 each, and there will also be a selection of prints available for $40 to $100 each.
Ākina wants to make sure that anyone can take part and come away with a beautiful artwork, no matter what their budget - it’s about being inclusive and ensuring that no one is left out.
Ākina is also running raffles, with tickets being $5 and $10 each.
The first raffle is for a bundle of items from the gallery - a selection of beautiful things the gallery likes to stock, some ceramics, small sculptures, earrings, hand-dyed wool, A4 print and books.
The second was kindly donated to the gallery by ATE Journal of Māori Art. It is an amazing art journal that is only produced annually and has limited editions.
Raffles will be drawn at Ākina’s celebration party on Saturday, which starts at 5pm at the gallery. Brave Brewery Co. has kindly donated beer towards the celebration.
The Ākina Gallery owner said Matt and Gemma from Brave Brewery Co. are long-time supporters of the gallery and are so generous.
The artworks are available to view and buy in the gallery from March 23. The catalogue will go online and can be found on Ākina’s website and social media.
Van Den Berg welcomes all to pop in and have a look at the artwork.
“If you see an artwork you like, then you can purchase it knowing 100 per cent of what you paid for it goes to the cause,” she said.
