Review

The event’s milestone status was once again celebrated by an extraordinary exhibition. Showcasing artworks bought from home country and mahi made in the early stages of The Gathering, WHITI presented paintings, printmaking, adornment, uku, carvings, weaving, photography and mixed media reflecting both customary techniques and contemporary innovation. Each piece told a story—of whakapapa, land, and identity, —inviting visitors into a deeper understanding of Indigenous perspectives and indicating the exceptional value that The Gathering offers artists.

There is nothing quite like an exhibition opening for ‘The Gathering’. The artists bless their taonga with karakia, waiata, taonga pūoro, chants and drums. It’s a cacophony of sound that builds excitement as a ceremonial walk through across two expansive gallery spaces, takes place. 

Curators Aimee Ratana and Erena Koopu (Te Whānau- ā -Apanui) certainly had their work cut out for them as the artworks arrived with the artists, while some works were even created during the days before at The Gathering itself. It was noted that artist Tame Iti (Ngai Tuhoe, Waikato Tainui) and Simon Lardelli (Ngāti Konohi, Rongowhakaata Taranaki) appeared in social media footage working on their pieces just the day before opening! It shows an incredible degree of adept decision making and flexibility to enable over eighty artists to have their ‘moment’ under that kind of pressure.  Participant artist Julie Paama-Pangelly (Ngāi Te Rangi) voiced similar appreciation, saying she was, “amazed at what had been achieved in the timeframe”.

Taking a Te Ao Māori approach to the design of the show, the entry feature wall celebrated the ‘Pou’ of Toi Māori. Work created by significant elders including Māori artists Baye Riddell (Ngāti Porou, Te-Whānau-a-Ruataupare), Gabrielle Belz, Sandy Adsett, Steve Gibbs, Derek Lardelli, Randal Leach (Ngāti Konohi), Christina Hūrihia Wirihana and Dempsey Bob.

Many will have seen Dempsey Bob (Tahltan, Tlinget) extraordinary sculpture Raven at Vancouver airport. His work Whale Packer is a small figurative relief sculpture sublimely carved out of alder, almost resembling bone. Acrylic paint is applied sparingly to accentuate features.  The Orca is a significant crest for his people, but Bob’s crest is Wolf and this designation is matrilineal, women being wisdom keepers and story tellers.  The only other colour is applied to a protruding tongue in the profiled face which alludes to this important power to share cultural narrative. Working very much in customary practice Bob has visited Aotearoa many times since 2001 and says that the ‘Gathering’ continues to motivate and inspire him.

“…both our ancestors did some of the greatest sculptures in the world, of any nation, and what we are trying to do now is get back to that level and it’s not easy.”

Renown elder Sandy Adsett submits a painting that emotes his signature expansive palette. The painting displaying a synthesis between modernism, colour theory and mātauranga Māori, and it is this that encourages us to reflect on and indeed expand the definition of indigenous artist.

Another curatorial intervention that does this is a tuākana/tēina hang, where mentor and student can be seen together. An exciting example is seen in fibre arts on the same wall with elder Christina Hūrihia Wirihana with E Tu Wāhine Mā, a stunning totara and kiekie nod to tukutuku and her past student from Awanuiārangi, Glenda Hape (Ngāti Pukeko, Ngāti Awa, Te Aitanga a Māhaki, Whakatōhea). Her He Taonga made from kiekie, rimu, perspex and glass rods created an evocative woven QR code. Again, a nod to the customary tukutuku panels that celebrate iwi identity and narrative while also visualising the commodification of culture.

The primary window site on the road frontage of the gallery entrance was gifted to Makareta Jahnke (Ngāpuhi, Ngati Porou, Tainui) for her extraordinary Ipukahurangi originally made for He Aa I Uta, He Aa I Tai-the last National weavers’ exhibition at Te Whare Taonga o Waikato in 2025. Made from muka, a powerful fluted collar speaks to colonial dress, gathering energy in the neck, while the fall sweeps to a large kupenga, a net anchored by several kōhatu or rocks in circular formation.  Te Poho o Rua, work by first time attendee Moana Murray (Ngāpuhi) spoke to the influence of master weavers like Jahnke. Her first work woven in muka, and dyed in customary fashion with tānekaha, is a delicate piece anchored by the feathers of a ruru. She is exhilarated to be showing work next to both Jahnke and Hawaiian Marques Hanalei Marzan whose cotton ‘A’ahu kaula shows a dexterity with form and pattern including very different knots that no doubt will have Māori weavers like Matthew McIntyre Wilson (Taranaki, Ngā Mahanga, Titahi) showing his harakeke Hīnaki,fascinated. There are customary fibre works in this exhibition that are exquisitely executed. The aptly named Kim Kahu (Ngaruahine) shows how it’s done with her Taupuhi Aroha. Enticingly draped over a dress form so that you can see every detail of her muka and natural dyed korowai.

Customary practice also held its own in three-dimensional art forms.  Joseph Seymour, Jr (Squaxin Island/ Pueblo of Acoma), showed a series of ceremonial drums made of rawhide and maple. James Webster (Ngati Mahuta, Ngati Maniapoto) showcased his karetao Rangi raua kō Papa, beautifully executed in kauri. Another standout whakairo was from Boydie Te Nahu (Rongomaiwahine) with his large totara Rongomai. 

There were many tangible examples of the power of intergenerational knowledge transfer and cultural exchange promoted by the opportunity of the Gathering itself, as artists were excited to try new materials and mediums. One demonstration of this came from Denise Wallace. With pendants carved from walrus tusk and fossil, and silver that were born from collaborative process: uku artist Wi Taepa contributing mangōpare‑inspired forms, Alex Nathan (Te Roroa) assisting with soldering and rivets, and Beau Jack Key of Hawai‘i producing intricate cordage. 

There was a LOT of talking about adornment in this exhibition. It was very strong. Lead bone, stone and shell teacher Stacey Gordine provided an exquisite pounamu pendant that was anchored by the forms of two stingray in subtle relief. Young Poutu Puketapu (Ngāti Porou) exhibited a dark stone powerful hei tiki that visitors clustered around, but the real surprise was the astonishing Mother of pearl shell work by young Tahitian artist Herenui Garbutt. A set of wrist finger and pectoral adornments in black lipped oyster shell and wood demanded attention. Anapa reveals layers in the shell, shaped to celebrate its luminescence, the surface at times wriggling with her intensive markings. 

One noticeable aspect of WHITI the exhibition, was the unashamed use of colour. This was noted in some exceptional painting. Shane Tuaeu Andrew (Aitutaki, Rarotonga, Cook Islands) seem to be channelling the visual feast of the reef itself with Deities are our Ancestors. This small acrylic, ink and pareu on canvas, packed a punch with both colour and joyful mark making that encouraged close inspection. Likewise, Margaret Aull (Te Rarawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Fiji) had Taumata Atua fizzing off the canvas with exciting colour and joyful fresh mark making. Regan Balzer (Te Arawa, Ngāti Ranginui, Raukawa) employed her extensive chromatic palette in the much more measured acrylic painting Te Whariki Takapou o Hine-Te-Iwaiwa – The birth mat of Hine-te-iwaiwa, illustrating mātauranga attached to this atua wāhine. Colour also united large commanding protest works by two senior artists Tāwera Tahuri with a hand painted chair and large canvas by Donn Ratana (Ngāi Tuhoe). Renowned for their powerful statements and employment of signature indigenous palette, they unashamedly pushed indigenous narratives out into contemporary modes. These works and many others placed by the curators spoke to each other, providing connective comment.

This connectivity—between artists, across generations, and among Indigenous cultures—is central to Whiti. As Te Ātinga Co‑Chair Margaret Aull notes, creative practice is a vital means of perpetuating indigenous knowledge. After thirty years, The Gathering has grown into one of the most significant platforms for Māori and indigenous artists in Aotearoa. The event of the tenth exhibition, occurring in a time of political and environmental strain, was experienced as a reaffirmation of purpose, solidarity and shared artistic lineage.