Kura Te Waru Rewiri
Encyclopedia
Kura Te Waru Rewiri is a Maori painter. She has exhibited extensively in New Zealand
and internationally since 1985. She experiments with techniques such as colour and layering to convey thoughts on the current trends of the Maori culture
, both politically and socially.
(tattoo) patterns. In many of her works, her brushstrokes emulate the motions found in carving and weaving.
A recurring image seen in Kura's works is the cross, which carries many different meanings depending on its context and treatment.
Kura's use of traditional Maori art combined with the techniques of contemporary art
results in a contrast between new and old that has made her work distinctive and celebrated within New Zealand.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and internationally since 1985. She experiments with techniques such as colour and layering to convey thoughts on the current trends of the Maori culture
Maori culture
Māori culture is the culture of the Māori of New Zealand, an Eastern Polynesian people, and forms a distinctive part of New Zealand culture. Within the Māori community, and to a lesser extent throughout New Zealand as a whole, the word Māoritanga is often used as an approximate synonym for Māori...
, both politically and socially.
Symbolism
Kura uses symbols and techniques from traditional Maori art and custom in her works, such as Kowhaiwhai patterns, weaving imagery, and Tā mokoTa moko
Tā moko is the permanent body and face marking by Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand. Traditionally it is distinct from tattoo and tatau in that the skin was carved by rather than punctured...
(tattoo) patterns. In many of her works, her brushstrokes emulate the motions found in carving and weaving.
A recurring image seen in Kura's works is the cross, which carries many different meanings depending on its context and treatment.
Kura's use of traditional Maori art combined with the techniques of contemporary art
Contemporary art
Contemporary art can be defined variously as art produced at this present point in time or art produced since World War II. The definition of the word contemporary would support the first view, but museums of contemporary art commonly define their collections as consisting of art produced...
results in a contrast between new and old that has made her work distinctive and celebrated within New Zealand.
External links
- Faculty page at Massey UniversityMassey UniversityMassey University is one of New Zealand's largest universities with approximately 36,000 students, 20,000 of whom are extramural students.The University has campuses in Palmerston North , Wellington and Auckland . Massey offers most of its degrees extramurally within New Zealand and internationally...
- Rewiri bio
- Gallery of paintings by Rewiri
- Works in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongrewa