Join us for a special floor talk with four Taranaki artists as they share the stories behind portraits of their own tūpuna. Hear about the people, memories and relationships that shaped these works, and discover the personal connections held within each portrait. 

Presented in support of the Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Award, this is a chance to spend time with the artists and experience the artworks through their voices, stories and creative perspectives. 

Bios 

Meka Mauriri is a kaiwhakairo (carver) from south Taranaki, who brings a depth and fluidity to customary designs that reference tūpuna and relationships between people and place. 

Tania Niwa is an experienced photographer who creates vibrant images of contemporary Māori life in a local landscape. 

Nia Tipene is a mixed media artist who combines design elements to create compositions inspired by the toi (art) practices of her whānau and hapū. 

Luanna Sheridan is inspired by female atua (goddesses) and their existential relationship to humans, expressed in painted and sculptural forms.