Hautapu – Offerings

Hautapu – Offerings, is an exhibition of new works by creatives who attended the renowned contemporary Māori Art School, Toihoukura, during the years 1992 – 2002. 

Hautapu serves as our metaphor for the ceremony ‘whāngai i te hautapu’ – a metaphor for our offering to ‘feed the stars’. The artworks highlighted are an illumination of our offerings, acknowledgement and remembrance through mahi toi. Hautapu, is a collection of offerings from each artist back to toi Māori, te ao Māori, toihou tangata, toihou ora, toihoukura. 

This exhibition will be the first of a series of events that activate and reignite the coming together of generations of artists whose beginnings, disciplines and practice were shaped, supported and flourished through the guidance, leadership, and manaaki of the late Ivan Ehau (who established the Māori Arts program throughout Tairāwhiti Polytechnic in 1990 however, he sadly passed away in 1992), Tā Derek Lardelli, Dr Sandy Adsett and Professor Steve Gibbs of Toihoukura. For many Toihoukura served as an offering to rediscovery, reclamation and empowerment of self through toi Māori. 

Hautapu will be exhibited at the He Rau Aroha venue, 23 Peel Street in Gisborne, on Friday 17th June 2022. The exhibition is self-funded by the artists as investors of their own pathways with each of the artists contributing financially and volunteering their expertise to amplify and remind our fellow graduates of the need to become sustainable in our own development and leadership within toi Māori. 

OPENING Friday 17th June 6pm – 8pm