Exhibition showcases talents of emerging artists

First year Māori visual arts students are taking their first step to becoming artists with an exhibition at Te Pūtahi-a-Toi, School of Māori Studies. 

The exhibition opened last Friday and features paintings by nine first year students, as well as works by second, third and fourth year students.

Lecturer Ngataiharuru Taepa said this semester’s theme was whakapapa (genealogy) and he was impressed after setting a big challenge for the students, the majority who came to university straight from school.  

“It’s a big leap for them and I’m really pleased with what they’ve achieved in such a short time.”

The exhibition was a celebration and allowed families and friends to see what they have achieved.

“It’s a step towards them becoming artists. It’s important that the exhibition is a safe environment where family and friends are invited to celebrate and support the student’s achievements. They are also introduced to putting their work out there for people to digest and give feedback,” Mr Taepa said.

One of the emerging artists is Tegan Hautapu, 19, who juggled five-month baby Uetonga-Te Maoriori Hautapu-Tautahu with study. Her painting concept centred on kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and the intimate relationship between community and environments. “I’m excited (about the exhibition) and relieved it’s all over.”

The exhibition will run until the start of second semester. Third and fourth year students also used the exhibition as a platform to sell their artwork to fundraise for an upcoming cultural exchange to Tahiti, where they will join indigenous art students from other Pacific countries.

“It’s a cultural exchange that’s happening because we have similar aspirations for the arts,” Mr Taepa said. “It’s really an exchange of ideas, it’s sharing stories and finding commonalities.”

Six students leave on June 16 and will spend three weeks in Tahiti taking part in workshops with the exchange culminating in an exhibition.