Whakapapa and Artmaking:

Dr Areta Wilkinson

 

Dr Areta Wilkinson is a Kāi Tahu artist based in Te Waipounamu. She’s been a jeweller and an object maker since the 90’s. Producing taonga that interact with the taonga tuku iho of our tīpuna, and articulate contemporary whakaaro about te ao Māori, and Kāi Tahu identity.

 

The artmaking has become the vehicle for finding out about my 

whakapapa for sure.

 

We were lucky enough to have Dr Areta share some kōrero with some of the Kauae Raro community in April 2022. Some of her kōrero was about whenua and pigments, and some was about the wider inspiration for her taonga, and her practice. We wanted to pass on some of the whakaaro she shared:

 
Image of significant rock art site at Takiroa. And the quote: My first observation of ochre was as a young artist invited on Ngāi Tahu hīkoi, santioned and hosted journeys in to Ngāi Tahu cultural sites of significance to view the sacred mark making.

Image from: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/takiroa-rock-art-shelter

 
 
Image for artwork by Dr Areta and quote: Taonga, as you know, is not a self-concious art concept but a rich cultural reality. Taonga tuku iho to hand on, cultural aspirations to empower future generations.

Image: John Collie, Christchurch Art Gallery. From Whakapapa IV series.

Image of a sculptural taonga by Dr Areta and the quote: The first application of kōkōwai in my work was minimal yet personally profound. A prick of kōkōwai blood on a silver spine of matagouri in my 2008 exhibition project Waka Huia.

Art is: Tūmatakuru Wears Me. Image provided by the artist

 
 
Image: Taonga made by Dr Areta and the quote: as a self-determined Kāi Tahu artist, I am a moa hunter descendant. I was not satisfied with the museums illustration of my culture and I produced counter narratives.

Taonga in Moa Hunter Fashions exhibition.

The common binding thread [of my work] is the cultural production of tīpuna. Always informing the current investigation, always increasing my awareness of whakapapa, and continually grounding my practice today.

Image: Courtesy of the artist and Two Rooms Gallery, Auckland

 
 
Taonga created by Dr Areta and the quote: Whakapapa is a layering of generational relationships and narratives overtime. The telling and re-telling continues, just in new object testimonies.

Image by John Collie, Christchurch Art Gallery. From Moa Hunter Fashions exhibition.

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