October 24, 2012
Marsden funds overview of Māori art
Three Auckland University scholars have won $635,000 from the Marsden Fund to create a history of Māori art from an indigenous perspective.
Dr Deidre Brown, Professor Jonathan Mane-Wheoki and Dr Ngarino Ellis will trace the development of Māori art from its Polynesian origins to the present day.
The Toi Te Mana project will focus on a wide range of art practices, from traditional to contemporary, raranga and tā moko to digital media and film.
The team will analyse Māori art based on case studies, ancestral narratives, historical records, investigations into specific artworks and interviews with contemporary artists, as well as ensuring the contributions of female practitioners and of artist collectives are not overlooked.
The fund says while Māori art has long been acknowledged as one of the world’s great art traditions, it lacks a comprehensive written history.
The three year project will be made available to a larger audience through a book, journal articles and conference presentations.
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