Upcoming Exhibition

For Hineaorangi’s first exhibition, an expanded view of whakapapa encompasses Pearl as an whenua tinted, iridescent universe.

The whakaaro that flows through Tūhono are the connections which build the structure of our lives. An important understanding for viewing the work is the haumi of waka - the connecting of two sections on a waka, lashed together to make a waterproof and strong joint. This joint is carved in a way which resembles a vagina and penis interlocked - literally the way familial whakapapa is created. 

Whakapapa in Hineaorangi’s work reaches out beyond just familial ties. The hoe is made from from Fijian Kauri - a mihi to Tāngata Moana - and the tohu Porourangi Poutama features heavily - a Māori pattern from Te Tairāwhiti, which speaks not only to the interconnectedness of the hapū along the eastern cape of Aotearoa (the north island) but also to the connections between Tauiwi, Māori and Pākehā. 

The combination of maukoroa and kōkōwai as pigments within the works is a unification of people, environment and migratory practices stretching back thousands of years.  In Hineaorangi’s words, the exhibition is “a web of connection that encompasses mahi toi Māori, the joining together of whakapapa lines, te taiao and everything really.”