The First Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art

Born in Sydney, Australia in 1941 of New Zealand parents, Robyn Kahukiwa trained as a commercial artist with the Adelaide News. She is part Maori (Ngati Porou) on her mother's side and related to the famous woman leader, Ruataupare, as well as being a descendant of Rangiuia, an artist and carver. Robyn Kahukiwa settled in New Zealand in 1960. She is a member of the Maori Artists and Writers Group (Nga Puna Waihanga) and the Haeata Maori Women's Art Collective. She was appointed Artist-in- Residence at Wellington City Art Gallery during 1987-88. The illustrator of several children's books by Patricia Grace, as well as a number where she collaborated on the text with Keri Kaa, the artist won the Russell Clark Award for her illustrations in 1986. Robyn Kahukiwa has held numerous group and solo exhibitions since 1971, includ- ing 'Wahine Toa- Women in Maori Myth', touring NewZealand in 1983; 'Te Ao Marama - 7 Maori Artists', touring Australia, 1986; '3 Maori Women Artists', National Art Gallery Shed 11, Wellington, 1987; 'Whakamamae', Wellington City Art Gallery, 1988; 'Te Ao Maori', Sarjeant Gallery, Wanganui and Dowse Art Museum, Wellington, 1989; 'Heart +Land', ContemporaryWorks on Paper from Aotearoa/New Zealand, touring Australia in 1990-91; 'Taonga Maori', touring Australia in 1990; 'Mana Tiriti', Wellington City Art Gallery, 1990; 'Columbus Drowning', Rochdale Art Gallery, Lancashire, England, 1992; 'Gallery Artists', Amos Eno Gallery, New York, 1992; and 'TeWakaToi- Contemporary Maori Art', touring the United States in 1992-93. She is represented in major public and private collections in New Zealand including the Ministry of External Relations and Trade, and in the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Robyn Kahukiwa is a long-time political activist through her compelling paintings, prints and illustrations. She recently stated: My work has always been Maori in content. It is about identity and being a Maori woman in the society of Aotearoa today. I come from Ngati Porou, the people who traditionally live on the east coast of the Fish (North Island). We can trace our Whakapapa (genealogy) back to Maui who lived in the time of the gods.We have very strong female descent lines in our tribe, and our women today carry on the tradition passed down from our ancestors. Tihe mauri ora translates as 'I am here'. The painting was originally installed in the NEW ZEALAND ROBYN KAHUKIWA Top Tihe mauri ora (I am here) 1990 Oil on unstretched canvas 2.10x3.58m Collection: The artist 'Mana Tiriti' exhibition, Wellington City Art Gallery during 1990. That year New Zealand attempted to address the questions of its identity 150 years after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. As a member of the Haeata Maori Women's Art Collective, Robyn Kahukiwa, together with Rona Potiki and other artists, combined to produce Hineteiwaiwa te whare, a mixed media installation which was a focal point in 'Mana Tiriti'. Tihe mauri ora featured as the left-hand panel on the whare or Maori meeting house. It contains texts in English and Maori which allude to how the Treaty has not been honoured by the Pakeha (European popu- lation). Significantly, a proverb reaffirming Maori sovereignty precedes the title, begin- ning with the words 'I tipu te mauri, te mauri nui, te mauri roa' ('the life force grows, the life force gets bigger and stronger'). Anne Kirker 91 Bottom The Haeata Maori Women's Art Collective Hineteiwaiwa te whare 1990 The paintings are by Robyn Kahukiwa To the left is Tihe mauri ora As originally installed in the 'Mana Tiriti' exhibition, Wellington City Art Gallery, 1990