Road Trip: Hawkes Bay
July 2023
A small group of artists were invited to travel to Te Matau-a-Māui Hawkes Bay to connect with local artists and organisations. These artists included Chanel Duff, Felixe Laing, Geoffrey Matautia, Olivia Stewart and Ashleigh Taupaki.
Over three days, the group were hosted by several organisations in the Hawke's Bay. At MTG Hawkes Bay, the group was hosted by Curator Toni MacKinnon and Curator Taonga Māori Te Hira Henderson. At Toimairangi, a school of Māori visual art based in Heretaunga, they were hosted by artist Tracy Keith, artist Michelle Mataira and artist and architect Alex Heperi. The group then met artist and architect Jacob Scott, with whom they explored the redevelopment of the waterfront site Marine Parade in Ahuriri Napier and discussed Scott's current project developing a new forecourt at Hawke's Bay airport. At Te Whare Toi o Heretaunga – Hastings City Art Gallery, the group were hosted by Manager and Curator Sophie Davis, where they viewed Design Kahungunu: Iwi Toi Kahungunu, an exhibition exploring designs based on traditional kōwhaiwhai and heke patterns which are intentionally linked to whakapapa.
View the photo essay by Geoff Matautia commissioned for and published in Art News Aotearoa °199, Spring 2023 here