Saturday 4 March at 12:00pm
Aotearoa Art Fair, front entrance
Hear Bob Jahnke (Ngai Taharora, Te Whanau a Iritekura, Te Whanau a Rakairo o Ngati Porou) speak about his work Te Tomokanga o te ua which will be installed at the front entrance of the Art Fair.
Te Tomokanga o te ua features reflected stacked fluorescent tubes refencing the customary Māori pattern, roimata toroa (tears of the albatross), as a lament for humanity’s mistreatment of the environment. Hone Tūwhare’s poem Making holes in the silence cloaks the walls of the portal inviting people to recite his words of sensual engagement with rain. Rain in Te Ao Māori are the tears of lamentation of the sky father for the earth mother.
First exhibited in 2019, Te Tomokanga o te ua was created as an entranceway for the Lamentation exhibition at the Hastings City Art Gallery. It was produced as a marquette for Te Tatau ki Kirikiriroa, a MESH Sculpture Hamilton commission for Victoria on the River.
Making holes in the silence. A poem by Hone Tuwhare. Courtesy of the Tuwhare whānau
