Northland artist Selwyn Muru’s life’s work exhibited at Wallace Arts Centre in Auckland

Northland artist Selwyn Muru at Barry Crump’s home, Wellington, 1964. “In this photograph, like others in this series, Muru can be seen surrounded by some of the art he produced while living with Barry Crump in Wellington.”

He’s arguably Northland’s greatest living artist and now senior Māori artist Selwyn Muru’s life’s work is on display at Auckland’s prestigious Wallace Arts Centre.

The 85-year-old Te Hāpua-born artist (Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kurī, Ngāti Muri Kahara, Ngāti Rēhia, Te Whakatōhea) is considered a leader of the Māori cultural renaissance that began in the 1960s and was once described as one of the most original Māori thinkers of his time.

His latest exhibition - Selwyn Muru: A Life’s Work - affirms his pioneering legacy and leadership as a visual artist, broadcaster, playwright and social commentator, actor, professional musician, orator, teacher, and tribal repository of knowledge.

The exhibition, toured by The New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata and presented in association with the Auckland Arts Festival, showcases many artworks never publicly displayed before. People will be able to look closely at Muru’s paintings, drawings, documentary photography, audio and video.

Selwyn Muru’s Te Whiti with the Sacred Birds of Taranaki, 2003.

Selwyn Muru: A Life’s Work weaves together a biographical portrait of Muru, also known as Herewini Murupaenga. The exhibition not only offers an insight into the breadth of his achievements but also seeks to raise public awareness of his mahi, especially with younger generations who may not be aware of his contributions.

The exhibition was shown at the NZ Portrait Gallery late last year but he had never had a major retrospective or monograph dedicated to his artworks.

Included in this exhibition, curated by Moana Nepia, are paintings that honour Muru’s whakapapa links to Ngāti Kurī from the Far North, and to Ngāti Rēhia and descendants of the Mataatua Waka. Other paintings, honour tribal relatives, close friends, and mentors such as Dame Whina Cooper, Matiu Rata and Colin McCahon.

Selwyn Muru, Self-Portrait, 1964, part of the exhibition Selwyn Muru: A Life’s Work, on now at Auckland’s Wallace Arts Centre

Among the works are self-portraits, and photographic portraits of him and also featured are painted portraits of his first art teacher Kāterina Mataira, and his relation, the poet Hone Tuwhare.

The exhibition opened on March 11 and runs until May 28.

For more details go to www.wallaceartstrust.org.nz/exhibitions/selwyn-muru.