Aaron Kereopa: New Works

Toi o Tahuna fine art gallery will be holding an exhibition of new work by Aaron Kereopa.

Aaron’s new work is a continuation of his previous concerns with his surrounding environment and the ocean of Aotearoa. His work is inspired by the alien-like marine beings of the deep blue sea. Tropical fish, stingrays, UFO Fish and giant whitebaits crowd together in a school of extraterrestrial colour and design.

Aaron Kereopa’s work stands out for its intricate Polynesian designs and bold texturing of colour. Using Surfboard foam blanks as his medium and substituting knife and scalpel in the place of chisel and hammer, paint in the place of varnish, Aaron’s work fuses ideas of traditional Whakairo (the art of carving) with a contemporary art practice. This fusion allows him the freedom to take Whakairo in a new direction and create his own style of carving.

Initially hesitant to explore this form of carving (due to the respect with which Māori treat Whakairo and the rules that have come to be associated with the art form) Aaron has grown confident over time about his work and his ability to take it forward. ‘A good thing about our people’ he says, ‘in the past they learnt how to adapt and move with the times. I’m just doing the same thing’.

Aaron’s interest in carving and design dates back to his high school days at Wesley College, a boarding school in Auckland that emphasised the importance of culture to its students, many of whom hailed from Pacific backgrounds. Here he developed interests in ta moko (tattoo), kapa haka (performance) and te reo (language), and became a member of a waka taua (war canoe) group, travelling to Canada and Hawaii as a representative of his school, the Māori Queen and Tainui, his tribe. In 1985, the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior was bombed in Auckland harbour, sparking a new wave of anti-nuclear protest across New Zealand. Aaron was living with on his family land in Raglan at the time when he saw a foam blank carved with an anti- nuclear protest message by fellow surfer Kevin Barker.

Like ta moko and whakairo, Aaron’s work utilises a visual language that acts as a code, drawing on themes both universal and personal such as mythology, geography, his tupuna (ancestors), whakapapa (genealogy), and navigation. His works has included elements of popular culture, surf culture, comics and they also show a affinity with a larger pan-pacific culture. Aaron is especially inspired by the underlying similaritlies between Maori and Hawaiian cultures.

Although those familiar with Māori design can read some of the imagery, much of the work has personal references, such as to Manu Bay, the surf beach over which Aaron’s studio looks, and Karioi, the neighbouring mountain, which has a specific relationship with local Māori. Living in this area of Raglan has allowed Aaron to reinforce his Tainui roots and develop different interpretations of traditional ideas and to put his own stance on traditional designs and meanings. Aaron also often integrates patterns he sees in his mother’s fibre work as a weaver of kete (bags), whariki (mats) and potae hats, each with the underlying message of the significance of culture.

The exhibition will run from 4 July until 29 July 2009 with a preview on the evening on Friday 3 July 2009, 5.30pm - 7.30pm.

Event listed by MCH Admin

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