Local man travels for art

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 457, 13 October 1992, Page 3

Local man travels for art

By

Marnie

woodd

Local figure Matiu Mareikura recently returned from opening a large exhibition of contemporary and traditional Maori art in the United States . He described the trip as "a beautiful culture shock." The exhibition opened at one of the most prestigious museums in the States, the Herd museum in Phoenix, Arizona. "Phoenix is very big on art, it has six museums and ninety-odd galleries," he said. "The Herd museum alone has 5000 registered members." The exhibition stays there until 3 January, then travels to Chicago and Hawaii before returning to New Zealand at the end of next year, where it is hoped to also be put on display. Mr Mareikura opened the exhibition in traditional Maori style and was met'by the six nations of American Indian tribes. "It was quite different to a Maori welcome, they eventually do the same thing as we do but have a sort of pow wow as well with singing and dancing." They spent two days iii Phoenix after the opening

holding forums and workshops to huge crowds on their art. The Herd Museum has a large staff of Indians, and one of the New Zealand visitors was privileged enough to be allowed into the innermost part of the museum where no-one other than Indians are allowed to go. Te Waka Toi (the New

Zealand Maori Arts Council) financed the group of 12 sculptors, potters, painters and councillors. "Some of our best potters were blown away by the traditional methods the Indians used," Mr Mareikura said. "With little or no tools, they produced beautiful work." The group travelled on

to Flagstaff and Gallup, meeting Indians from tribes and seeing where their artists get their inspiration. "Indians use a lot of colour in their art and I could see why, because of the colours in the landscape we saw," he said. The group were hosted by various American artists, among them Dan

Naminghar who attended an artist's symposium in Wellington last year. He is a very successful painter who has five or six exhibitions going at once in the States. Mr Mareikura said that as a result of the trip exchanges of museum people and artists between the two countries are being planned.