NorthTec tutor in New Caledonia artists’ symposium

Brian Mitchell with two of his carvings – a tekoteko (left) and a tokipoutangata.

CORRECTION TO PREVIOUS RELEASE

Media release: NorthTec tutor to participate artists’ symposium in New Caledonia

NorthTec tutor and Māori carver Brian Mitchell (Ngāti Hine) is one of five international artists who has been invited to participate in next month’s Identité Partagée (Shared Identity) symposium in New Caledonia.

Brian will join seven other artists at the live-in symposium in Nouméa to create a collaborative work which will be exhibited alongside other works by the artists in an exposition in Nouméa from 16-30 September.

“As a NorthTec graduate, it is truly an honour to be the only Māori carver selected to participate in the symposium.”

Brian will exhibit a selection of his wood carvings and will also participate in the creation of a collaborative sculpture with indigenous artists from around the Pacific which will be presented as a gift to the people of the New Caledonia’s sourthern province.

“Being of Ngāti Hine descent, I wanted to incorporate an element from home into the collaborative sculpture design, not only to express the tribal relationships between the Melanesians and Māori, but to raise awareness of whale conservation. Ngāti Wai names Whangarei harbour Whangarei-to-rerenga-parāoa (the gather place of whales) because whales gathered here to feed during summer. These same whales are known to also frequent New Caledonia’s beautiful waters and lagoons.”