Celebrating heritage: Former toi tauira art debut in Ōtepoti

Former toi tauira, Ana Hislop and Emily Clemett, celebrated their first public gallery exhibition in Ōtepoti, launching their art careers in the south where their tīpuna are from.

Both of Kāi Tahu descent, they met at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in 2023 while enrolled in Kāwai Raupapa Level 4 in Porirua with kaiako Jack Kirifi.

Titled ‘Ko rawaka/ Everything we need’, the exhibition at the Blue Oyster Art Project Space is a multimedia and sensory experience with each artist exploring the theme in their chosen medium.

“The gallery has been amazing in encouraging us to experiment and explore outside what we usually produce. We could be bold and unhindered, so it was a very exciting process,” says Emily.

Blue Oyster runs a tuakana-teina programme that puts exhibiting artists in touch with an expert in the field. For Ana and Emily, their tuakana was researcher and archivist Rauhina Scott-Fyfe (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Pākehā).

“The gallery introduced us to the right people who guided us in tikanga, reo and exploring our whakapapa. We were privileged to have Rauhina’s guidance. They were so knowledgeable and explained a lot about the history of this area. Through Ruahina we strengthened connections with our marae Puketeraki,” says Ana.

The artists valued this involvement as the process was not only a discovery of their potential – it was also a deep dive into their identity and a cultural experience that was important to them and their whānau

During a rangahau (research) trip to Ōtepoti, Emily was welcomed on to Puketeraki for the first time. She always knew she was Māori, but it was during study at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in 2023 when she was able to connect more deeply with her māoritanga.

“I went to the Kāi Tahu roadshow in Te Awa Kairangi where I was told of my whakapapa. My son and I were given these certificates and documents with a detailed family tree and location of our marae. And then to be able to visit for the first time this year, it was truly magical,” says Emily.

Emily’s interactive installation invites visitors to select items from a table of household objects, encouraging contemplation on what truly matters.

“It’s sort of a statement to think about consumerism. I have witnessed how communities have become very wasteful as we feed these desires to own more and more, but we really should take a minute to think about what we really need,” she says.

Ana’s cyanotype work used light exposure to create images and illustrates the elements essential for life. Gold thread stitched into the works represents energy and lifeforce, with motifs referencing tukutuku panels of her marae.

“I painted with cyanotype ink as a nod to my great uncle who was the architect of this building on Dowling Street. The works reference everything we need to sustain life on this planet – the first is whenua, Aoraki is there as the maunga of my iwi, the second is hau, the breath of life, and the third is wai,” explains Ana.

The exhibition also features a video piece by Ana, Te Taha Wairua, projected on 5 layers of white cloth embellished with symbols representing each generation, traced back to Motoitoi (Kāti Mamoe, Kāi Tahu). Ana’s sister, celebrated author Emma Hislop, produced an audio work to add a sound dimension to the exhibition.

A testament to the artists’ growth and connection to their roots, the mahi toi and rangahau involved added depth that will be appreciated by enthusiasts. Through their immersive art, the artists invite others to reflect on their own heritage and the importance of understanding where they come from.

The exhibition ‘Ko rawaka/ Everything we need’ is currently open at the Blue Oyster Art Space Te Tio Kikorangi until 14 September 2024.

Find out more about our Toi Māiri (Art) programmes.