Young Maori carver chosen for Vancouver residency

Toi Maori Aotearoa Media Release

Thursday 9 August 2007

Young Maori carver chosen for prestigious Vancouver residency

Toi Maori Aotearoa is proud to announce the selection of Shannon Wafer as the inaugural artist for a new carving residency in Canada. Shannon graduated in April 2006 from the New Zealand Maori Arts & Crafts Institute at Te Puia in Rotorua.

Shannon (Te Ati Awa, Taranaki, Ngapuhi) has been selected to participate in the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art at Northwest Community College in Vancouver, Canada. Shannon departs on 21 August 2007 for a period of one month.

James Rickard, Head of the Carving School at Te Puia said, “Shannon is an excellent selection, he’s conscientious and able to carve beautiful forms.” One of the strategic goals of Toi Maori is to promote and support the long-term development of contemporary Maori artists and creating new directions for contemporary Maori art.

Garry Nicholas, General Manager of Toi Maori added, “We are pleased to offer this invitation to Shannon and look forward to creating an exciting exchange programme with the Northwest Community College for the future.”

Shannon will have the opportunity to work alongside top native Canadian artists such as Dempsey Bob, Stan Bevan, Ken McNeil and Rocque Berthiaume. Shannon will be involved in projects that include carving house poles and painting five cultural house fronts at Githaus, a village of the Kitselas Band, Tsimshian Nation.

Shannon will also participate in art courses and carving classes under the guidance of artists at the Freda Diesing School.

“I’m really excited about the prospect of learning about their carving techniques and to study the similarities and differences between our two cultures,” says Shannon.

Toi Maori believes the new residency is an important part of forging positive links and relationships with the people of Northwest Canada in the promotion of contemporary indigenous art.

ENDS

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