Best Maori carvers put their work on display

E Tu Tiki by Nathan Foote is one of the carvings on display in the Rotorua Museum's newest exhibition. Photo / Supplied

Internationally renowned carvers, all trained in Rotorua, will display their works in a special exhibition at the Rotorua Museum.

Matatoki - Contemporary Maori Carving brings together the work of some of the best internationally-recognised contemporary Maori carvers in the country.

The exhibition, opening on Sunday, aims to highlight the talented contemporary carvers who live in Rotorua.

Rotorua Museum's art curator Karl Chitham and Eugene Kara, a carver and lecturer at Waiariki Institute of Technology Whare Takiura, have co-curated the exhibition.

"I'm excited to showcase the incredible skill and diversity of art being produced by these talented carvers," Mr Chitham said.

More than 40 works by 11 of New Zealand's top contemporary carvers are on display. The exhibition traverses the mediums of stone, pounamu, wood and cast aluminium and explores themes of nga tikanga tuku iho (Maori concepts from the past), cross-cultural collaboration and European philosophy.

A panel discussion on the opening day will feature some of the artists. Matatoki - Contemporary Maori Carving is open until Sunday March 16 next year and entry is included in the Rotorua Museum's admission.