infonews.co.nz
INDEX
ART

Lisa Reihana: Digital Marae

Wednesday 26 September 2007, 12:27PM

By New Plymouth District Council

4199 views

NEW PLYMOUTH

The Govett-Brewster Art Gallery presents Digital marae, a powerful photographic and new media series by leading Maori artist Lisa Reihana, from 6 October to 2 December 2007.


Reihana’s work communicates complex ideas about indigenous identity and bi-cultural living and in this ongoing series she continues her investigation of the concept of the marae. In Digital marae she recreates a wharenui within a digital realm.

In a modern take on the pouwhenua or wooden carvings found lining a wharenui, Reihana’s large and dramatic photographs represent Maori ancestral figures. These images are imbued with a feeling of magic surrealism, seamlessly blending the traditional with contemporary elements.

Govett-Brewster Director Rhana Devenport says, “Lisa Reihana’s Digital marae is without a doubt one of the most poetic and powerful photographic series produced in New Zealand in recent times.

“This presentation of the work includes new dimensions within the series and the Govett-Brewster is honoured to be presenting these works for the first time.”

These new dimensions take the form of a new suite of photographs that reference male atua, New Zealand sculpture and takatapui or trans-gendered figures.

Among her mythological figures Mahuika 2001, the goddess of fire, Marakihau 2001, the fierce deep sea creature, Kurangaituku 2001, the bird woman, and sisters Hinewai 2001 and Hinepukohurangi 2001, are Ranginui 2007, the sky father, Maui 2007, the trickster hero, Urban Warrior 2007, a revisioning of Molly McAllister’s sculpture, Ramon 2007, diva and Victor 2007, the vigilant watcher.

The video component let there be light 2001 with its eerie soundtrack and video imagery suggest a window into another world.

Of Ngaa Puhi descent, Reihana has in recent years played a leading role in the development of film and multimedia art in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Her work is held in numerous public and private collections and she has a strong international presence, most recently exhibiting in Global feminisms at the Brooklyn Museum, and Native Portraits at Museo Laboratorio di Arte Contemporanea in Rome and delivering a lecture at the Tate Modern in London.

She has exhibited at the University of Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, the Asia Society Museum in New York, the Biennale of Sydney 2000, the Noumea Biennale in 2002, the Asia-Pacific Triennial in Brisbane in 1996 and 2002 and at the opening of Te Papa Tongarewa with the specially commissioned work Native Portraits n.19897 1997.

Her work is being presented concurrently as part of the exhibition DateLine: Contemporary art from the Pacific, a major exhibition of art by New Zealand artists of Maori and Pacific descent at the Neuer Berliner Kunstverein (NBK) museum in Berlin. Co-curated by Rhana Devenport and NBK director Dr Alexander Tolnay, a return show will be mounted at the Govett-Brewster in May 2008.

Devenport says with both Digital marae and Date Line the Govett-Brewster seeks to expand its continuing commitment to and engagement with contemporary Maori and Pacific Art.

In the presentation of this exhibition, Lisa Reihana and the Govett-Brewster acknowledge the support of Te Waka Toi, Radio Network Taranaki and Aalto Colour.

Also showing: Activating Korea: Tides of collective action, 15 September to 25 November.

Public Programmes


Sunday 7 October, 2.00pm: An introduction to 'Digital marae' with Lisa Reihana, Rhana Devenport and Dr Deidre Brown, Senior Lecturer at the School of Architecture and Planning, University of Auckland. Free entry.
Friday 26 October, 10.00am: Govett-Brewster Babes! Mums, dads and caregivers get your art and culture fix! Join us for a baby-friendly tour of 'Digital marae' followed by morning tea at Cafe Govett-Brewster. $5 per adult, babies free.
Tuesday 30 October, 6.00pm–8.00pm: Hear Lisa Reihana at the Monica Brewster Club. $12, students with ID free.
Sunday 11 November, 2.00pm: Megan Tamati-Quennell, Curator Indigenous Art, Te Papa talks to Lisa Reihana’s 'Digital marae'. Free entry