News of the Maori Market

News of the Maori Market

For Maori carver and jeweller Stacy Gordine, art is a medium to reconnect with his roots. Two of his great uncles, Pine and John Taiapa were Tohunga Whakairo (master carvers), both being involved with Apirana Ngata’s revival of the New Zealand Maori arts and crafts institute in Rotorua. Pine carved over 100 houses, including the iconic Waitangi Treaty House.

Stacy’s work will feature in the upcoming MAORI MARKet in Wellington this month. A highly skilled carver who works in multi-media – bone, hard stone (pounamu) silver, copper, gold and wood, Stacy is recognised internationally. His art works are sold through a Vancouver gallery, Spirit Wrestler, where they regularly achieve four figure sales.

“I was not brought up in a Maori environment, although my father was a woodcarver who imparted his knowledge and was supportive of me; but my art has been like a journey to reconnect with my heritage,” says the Ngati Porou artist from Hawkes Bay.

His journey through his craft has taken him back to his own ancestory and it has also opened doors to the indigenous culture and artisans of North America.

In 2005 he was invited to participate in a cultural/art exchange with Tlingit artist Dave Galanin, from South-east Alaska, under the Indigenous Links Programme. At Dave’s Alaskan shop, Stacy studied silver carving skills and taught stone carving and tool making techniques. Creative New Zealand and Toi Waka Toi funded the three-month exchange. The culmination of this work was exhibited as ‘Enduring Forms’ in Sitka, Alaska, and then in Gisborne, New Zealand, in January 2006.

“I am inspired by the artistic achievements of indigenous artisans in Aotearoa and around the world,” says Stacy.” I have been so lucky with my career in the arts. It has been a struggle financially, but the opportunities I have had have been so rewarding. I have been welcomed in and learnt so much about other indigenous people. I want to use those experiences as an example to others.”

Three of Stacy’s ‘top end’ works of art will be for sale at MAORI MARKet at Wellington’s TSB Bank Arena on Queens Wharf, from April 27-29. A marakihau (sea taniwha) pendant, a deep carved silver bracelet featuring a pungawerewere design (traditional wood carving design in the medium of silver) and a large sculptured pounamu (greenstone). Stacey is one of a very small number of Maori artists who work with silver.

ENDS

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