Metiria Stanton Turei, Senior Lecturer (Pūkenga Matua) in the Faculty of Law, with her artwork Whanokē (2022) in the Centre of Indigenous Science.
An artwork created by law academic and artist Metiria Stanton Turei (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Āti Haunui a Pāpārangi, Rangitane, Te Ātiawa), named Whanokē (2022), has found a new home in the Centre of Indigenous Science.
Donated to the University by Stanton Turei, the concept of ‘gift’ is central to the wairua of Whanokē as the work was first created for an exhibition exploring differing perceptions of what gifts mean to people.
“Whanokē is about the gift of living through erratic difficult times and the gift that nature provides us by reminding us that there is this continual cycle,” Stanton Turei explains. “At points in our lives when times get hard, nature gifts us the knowledge that we are all part of the cycle of life.”
Whanokē consists of three sculptures, from which taniko is woven, and a felt carpet with overlaid designs of vibrant coloured flower designs of kōwhai, harakeke and kotukutuku.
“The carpet reminds us of the beauty of nature as the source of the work and also brings people into the artwork,” Stanton Turei says. “I really enjoy art that can be tactile and invites people to be part of it.”
The design means installation can be flexible including as a walkthrough work or be displayed on a wall such as in the Centre of Indigenous Science.
Currently in her second year as a Senior Lecturer (Pūkenga Matua) in the Faculty of Law, Stanton Turei has started her Master of Fine Arts at Te Kura Matatini – Dunedin School of Art.
“Standing in the University as both academic and artist is important to me. Art is critical for flexibility of thinking and creative solutions which is a big part of not only law, but all academic disciplines. When dealing with intellectual pursuits art can shift our thinking and restore our energy.”
Richard White, acting convenor of the Artwork Collections Committee which acts as custodian to the University’s artworks, says that the Centre for Indigenous Science - facilitated by Jacinta Beckwith, Head Curator Māori at Hocken Collections - came to the committee with the proposal for Whanokē to be brought into the collection.
“We could see at once how Metiria’s work fitted perfectly with what we want our art to do: enrich our places and our minds through a strong connection to the University, its people and our environment,” White says. “Her generosity in gifting this work to us reflects the positive spirit of Whanokē herself.”
Professor Anne-Marie Jackson (Ngāti Whātua, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu o Whangaroa, Ngāti Wai), who leads the Centre of Indigenous Science, says it’s a pleasure to be kaitiaki of Whanokē.
“Metiria created Whanokē during the global pandemic and so she radiates hope, light and joy throughout the whare,” Professor Jackson says. “We welcome her mana and tapu to our whare and every day we enjoy interacting with her, viewing and injecting our own mauri into Whanokē too.”
Stanton Turei says Whanokē is her contribution to the kaupapa around the Centre’s work with the environment and which connects people with the environment.
“She is a way of understanding change and the difficulties associated with that. Art has a mind of its own, and the Centre is definitely the right place for her. I couldn’t think of a more perfect home.”
Additional information:
To view Whanokē, please contact indigenousscience@otago.ac.nz.
To seek the advice of the University Artwork Collections Committee about existing artworks or the University policy on acquisitions, please contact Richard White (Acting Convenor) via registrar@otago.ac.nz. The University’s Artworks Collection Policy can be found here.
-Kōrero by Guy Frederick, Communications Adviser, Sciences.