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A judge of the Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Awards says it’s worth the trip to the National Portrait Gallery in Poneke to see the winning entries kanohi-ki-te-kanohi.
Graham Hoete, known as Mr G, along with Lisa Reihana and Steve Gibbs sorted through the 96 entries by emerging Maori artists.
They awarded the $20,000 prize to Wellington-based uku or clay artist Stevei Houkāmau from Ngati Porou, Te Whanau a Apanui, and Rangitane.
Her winning entry Kia Whakatōmuri te haere whakamua is described as like a necklace of touch stones, each individual bead incised with patterns and tohu encoded with knowledge – and completed with a raukura feather adornment at each end.
Hoete says the 43 finalists make for an impressive show.
“My frst time I stepped into that space with all the works hung and stuff I actually had a bit of a tangi… and just felt the wairua in there…. just being mindful of the taha wairua, and nga tipuna. Yeah, so you really do feel that when you walk in to that space,” he says.
The $2,500 second prize went to Wellingtonian Ming Ranginui for ‘Swept under the rug’ – a broomstick made from Muka and cotton pearl thread, and there were five honourable mentions – Tia Barrett, Michelle Estall, Tukiri Tini, Bobby Luke and Heramaahina Eketone.
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