David Teata with Todd Douglas

David Teata is an emerging Dunedin artist, who was born in Mangaia, Cook Islands. His work celebrates the uniqueness of the mixed cultures we have in New Zealand as well as a larger Polynesian heritage.

Teata's designs are clear with a subtle layering of patterns and motifs. Traditional designs are interspersed with empirically observed patterns. The underlying structure of these works recalls weaving, drawing together various aspects of Pacific cultures. The layering of this content suggests the re-emergence and reassertion of past traditions. The past, present, and future are brought into one picture.

Todd Douglas was born in 1965 in Auckland and is of Nga Puhi (Ngati Manu, te Mahurehure) and Celtic descent. Todd's ceramics explore the two worlds of western practices of clay moulding and firing and the maori traditions of carving and story telling. The joining of these two worlds have resulted in a contemporary art practice that stretches the boundaries of clay and produces new possiblities for contemporary Maori. Using techniques inspired by early Maori carvings, he has made works in ceramic, stone, cast glass, and bronze.

Event listed by Toi o Tahuna

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