Te Maramatanga Aoao Nui

Te maramatanga aoao nui, makes reference to a phase or form of light – this particular phase – A wintry form of light or The kind of light that prevails in winter. [1]

This intimate collection of mixed media work by Tai and Kaaterina Kerekere, illuminates narratives of reclaiming self, voice, whakapapa, land, imagery, knowledge, identity – a resilient light from darkness.

[1] 1 http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Bes01Reli-t1-body-d3-d8.html

Te Maramatanga Aoao Nui is an intimate collection of recent mixed media work by Tolaga Bay-based artists, Tai and Kaaterina Kerekere.

The exhibition title is a term used to describe a particular kind of light that prevails in winter.

As a project contributing to Matariki, this suite of art works illuminates narratives of reclaiming self, voice, whakapapa, land, knowledge and an expression of Māori identity as a resilient light projecting from darkness.

Kaaterina Kerekere
Born 1976
Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Rongowhakaata, Rangitāne, Ngāi Tahu

Māori art and design is one of the key identifiers of our cultural identity and heritage. The icons, motif and stories are unique to our whānau, hapū and iwi. Not only do these cultural markers reinforce the foundations of my practice, they also build pathways to help teach and nurture our next generations.

Primarily a digital artist, working daily in the graphic design and animation fields, Kaaterina also works within the painting and fine metal adornment disciplines. She regularly moves between media to challenge and reinforce concepts of the transition, innovation and interpretation of traditional knowledge and learning.

Kaaterina is a mother of four, and works from her home based design business in Ūawa, Tolaga Bay. She is passionate not only about her own work, but the development and flourishing of art and art practices within her community, supporting rangatahi, emerging artists as well as established artists to expand and extend their practice.

Kaaterina is a recent recipient of a Creative New Zealand Scholarship supporting her placement in the 2020 Leadership New Zealand cohort.

Tai Kerekere
Born 1968
Te Aitanga ā Māhaki, Te Whānau ā Kai, Ngai Tai, Ngā Puhi, Ngāi Tahu

Art is a whakapapa. It is continuously evolving from one generation to the next.
Art is an expression of ones’ self-identity.

Tai works as a full time artist, designer and dad from his home based studio in Ūawa, Tolaga Bay. He has been a practicing artist for over two decades, exhibiting nationally and internationally. His artwork ranges in mediums from acrylic on paper, canvas, clay, wood, silver and copper, scaling from large 2D works to small handcrafted adornment pieces.

His recent body of work created a platform for his Masters in Professional Creative Practice, the series ‘Vessels of Knowledge’, is a progression from his previous work based around notions of identity. This new direction explores light, form and line to illuminate the human body as a vessel, to retain and pass on knowledge.

Website: www.kedesign.co.nz