TOI TE RANGIUAIA
2. Te Hokinga - The Return Home
2015
Aluminium
The use of manu/ birds as symbols to convey concepts and values has always held a prominent place within the maori lexicon. The Koekoea /Long-tail Cuckoos migratory nature expresses the reconnection to land and community.
The Koekoea has a winter migratory route from as far afield as the Solomons, Fiji, Samoa Tahiti and the Marquesas. It’s spring arrival to New Zealand in October to breed heralds the Kumara planting season and its late summer departure between the months of February through to April coincides with the harvesting of the Kumara.
As a messenger to location and wellbeing the Koekoea is recorded in the ancient practice of knotted cordage- tau ponapona , a codex of arranged knots conveying a message or enquiry that was carried by the bird when seafaring. The ancient story of the seafaring loss of the Tahitian ancestor Toi grandson Whatonga and his pet Koekoea named Te Kawa echoes the use of this practice of the bird as a courier relaying the location and fate of Whatonga. Today the same messaging symbolism is found within the Wharenui as the ceilings triple lashing patterns Taki toru.
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Price: $7200
Artists Web Page: www.ikonz.co.nz
Artists Email:paora@ikonz.co.nz
Artists Phone: 372 5282 021 3725282
Toi Te Rangiuaia (Paora)
Paora’ migration from jeweller to sculptor can be seen in
the repetitive componentry of cast works that echo the format of
his great, great grandfather Riwai Pakerau’ own heraldic kowhaiwhai
patterns which amalgamated the modern with the traditional styles
found adorning the East Coast Wharenui/ meeting houses of the
19th century. Within this format Paora plays with iconic
forms and whakatauaki/ proverbs in order to reference the current
societal context of the 21st century.
Ko Hikurangi te Maunga
Hikurangi is the Mountain
Ko Waiapu te Awa
Waiapu is the Awa
Ko Ngati Porou te Iwi
Ngati Porou is the Tribe
A descendant of the eponymous ancestor Paikea (The whalerider) Paora’s 35 years as a professional artist began in 1978 through a jewellery and silversmithing apprenticeship in Parnell. Towards the end of his apprenticeship Paora was introduced into jade carving by Master carver Neil Hannah. During the following decade as a pattern maker, gemstone setter and business operator Paora spent time researching more about his maori heritage and the exploration of his own voice within the maori art world.
In 1990 Paora moved to Waiheke and in the following year became co-founder to Waiheke’s first Maori arts group and a gallery owner within the Waiheke Art Gallery complex. In 1996 Paora facilitated Waiheke’s first stone sculpture symposium and also the year he was elected to the first inaugural Waiheke Community Art Gallery Committee as co-chairperson.
For the past 20 years Paora has been exhibiting and sculpting both nationally and internationally. Whilst his jewellery and Jade works can be found right across the globe his sculptural works in Jade, glass, obsidian, metal, stone and wood are held within both private collections and public arenas in England, Scotland, France, Switzerland, Vienna, Albania, Hong Kong, America, Australia and throughout New Zealand.
Paora’ latest monumental work is located in France. The epic 10 metre x 4 metre hand sculptured wall in the Les Lapidiales International Sculpture Park commenced in 2009 depicts the 19 century style of his great great grandfather Riwai Pakerau. This year is the final 2 month residency of 6 months of work and has the family returning to the village of Port d’Envaux within the Charente Maritime region. For images go to www.lapidiales.org
Paora Gallery 139 Ocean View Rd,
Oneroa, Waiheke ph 3725282