Sarjeant Gallery educator Sietske Jansma with exhibition curator Vanessa Edwards-Buerger and Sarjeant Gallery director Andrew Clifford.
Sarjeant Gallery educator Sietske Jansma with exhibition curator Vanessa Edwards-Buerger and Sarjeant Gallery director Andrew Clifford.
Awa Rere Roa - Whanganui Māori Arts Collective, in partnership with the Sarjeant Gallery, opened its artistic offering “Puanga Toi Fest 2024″ on Friday evening, June 28, with the exhibition Āta Whakarongo.
Sarjeant Gallery education officer and exhibition curator, Vanessa Edwards-Buerger, spoke about the exhibition after a blessing by kaumātua John Maihi and a welcome by Sarjeant Gallery director, Andrew Clifford.
A large gathering was present for the opening.
“Tonight we open the exhibition Āta Whakarongo - Listen carefully,” said Edwards-Buerger. “But Whakarongo really asks us to activate all of our senses and perceive the work with all our being.
“This offering is an artistic feast providing a wide range of customary to contemporary responses from 24 Māori artists who connect to this place and space. From Manu Bennett’s proud carved ‘Taurapa’ taking us back to our navigational roots and connections to nga whetu, Atarangi.
“Anderson’s suspended aute ‘Anamata’ reminding us to see through the eyes of our mokopuna, Jenny Kennys two-part ‘Wini Whetu’, beaming us up to the celestial realm, Aaron Te Rangiao-Gardiners lightbox ‘Te U Kai Po’, offering us a potential option in case of emergencies, to the work of one our most rising stars Ming Ranginui’s muka sculpted ‘One Outs’ challenging our thinking and prompting questions and discussion.
“There is truly something for everyone and much to devour. Regardless of how contemporary the work may get, it is never lost to us for it is a seed sown in Rangiatea.
“As a curator of a show of this nature, a pot-luck show where you don’t know what’s coming until it arrives. You can be assured of its mix of nerves and excitement, but experience has taught me that success is inevitable when work is made and delivered with love and integrity.
“He Toi Whakairo, he mana tangata - where there is artistic excellence there is human dignity. Therefore I would like especially to thank and acknowledge our artists, many of whom are here tonight and those who are not able to be here.
Contemporary Māori art on display at the exhibition.
“We thank you and are reminded you are an integral part of the success and well-being of our communities. So congratulate our artists, say thank you and most importantly buy their work.
“I encourage us all, like the artworks within this space to whakapiripiri mai and celebrate the collective creativity represented here tonight, but also whakahoki mai another day as this exhibition will require you to return to engage in quieter, more spacious conditions fully.
“Keep in mind too that Āta Whakarongo holds space over the entire month of July but is supported by wānanga and workshops that will happen in our back gallery, including the artists’ talks to be held on Saturday, July 13. Please check the Sarjeant website for more details.
There was excitement and appreciation with a large crowd gathered.
“Finally, we Awa Rere Roa and the artists involved would like to acknowledge the community arts centre and the important role it plays within the community, without which we would not be able to hold this event this year.
“And a big thank you to the amazing team at the Sarjeant Gallery for supporting Puanga Toi Fest and bringing to fruition this exhibition and ongoing event. As Puanga rises in our night skies we now look to the coming of Rehua and the celebrations that it will bring.
“No reira he mihi mahana, nau mai haere, whakapiripiri mai. Tena…… Kiaora koutou katoa.”
Tawhero school students will be taken through the Back Gallery this week to experience the Tihate project. A number of Māori artists have contributed T-shirt designs which the collective will be discussing and presenting to the tamariki.
They will then choose which one they want and have it screen printed onto a T-shirt for them to take away. The power of the T-shirt to adorn themselves with “who we are” is a part of our history and this is an opportunity to explore that with the tamariki.
The public will have a chance to do the same on Saturday, July 6, from 10am-2pm. So if you are keen, bring a T-shirt down to be printed, they are being printed in black, so make sure to bring a light-coloured T.
