Waiheke artist Anton Forde is now exhibiting eight contemporary Māori stone sculptures at Whitespace Gallery in Grey Lynn.
The exhibition, called Kāmaka, aims to honour Māori scientific knowledge. The 11-day exhibition is also Anton’s first solo show.
Many of the stones used for the exhibition have a genealogy of millions of years and come from several renowned maunga like basalt from Maungakiekie, kōkawa/andesite from Maunga Taranaki and obsidian from Onetangi.
Anton says he was inspired by both ancient Māori kaipūtaiao/ scientists and the new wave of young indigenous Māori scientists.
The stones are carved to represent figures cloaked in korowai that are carved with designs of unaunahi/fish scales, kōwhiti/cross stitch used to represent whetū in tuku tuku, raukura/feather plumes; straight and curved contemporary Toki Adze shapes; an anchor shape with contemporary whetū/star lines; and a teardrop shape linking to the story about the separation of Papatūanuku/Mother Earth and Ranginui/ Sky Father.
“In Aotearoa, early stone science was an essential part of community living, and these works represent an important acknowledgement of the ancient building blocks of mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) which enabled survival through innovation, sustainability and craftsmanship”.
The sculptures will be exhibited until 21 November at Whitespace, 119 Great North Road, Auckland.
The exhibition is free between 9am and 5pm. For more inquiries, contact Deborah White at www.whitespace.co.nz. • Silvia Massa.
