Contemporary Maori Art

April 2010: MAORI AND JAPANESE CULTURES MEET 

This Samurai Sword was made by Enomoto Sadayoshi and purchased for ContemporaryMaoriArt.com from Iida Koendo in Meijiro, Tokyo. 

Sadayoshi was one of the few master Japanese swordsmiths to reach the Mukansa level. He passed away in 2001 at the age of 89 years. His sons Tatsuyoshi and Sadahito are current master swordsmiths based in Japan. 

'The imagery and weapons of the Samurai have always fascinated Darcy Nicholas. He sees the ownership of the sword as an important milestone in his life and has named the sword after the first blade of morning light that separates the earth from the sky'. 

The sword's Maori name is 'Awhiorangi'

December 2009: A TRIBUTE TO TWO TREASURED FRIENDS...

Last year a very dear friend and mentor, John Tahuparae passed away. We called him 'Tahu' and he was one of the last of the real Maori. An expert on Maori language, ancient chants, tribal history, genealogy, oratory, Maori herbal cures and Maori martial arts. A skilled guitarist Tahu had a wonderful singing voice that could take you back to the ancient times of ancestors sitting around a camp fire serenading their loved ones. In Maori terms he was a Tohunga extraordinaire. He did many things with his life and the world is a lesser place without him. 

My other dear friend and mentor who passed away on the 21st of August 2009 was Edward James Goldsmith (Teddy Goldsmith). Wonderful, learned, international gentleman of European stock and rare genius who loved the world and humanity. Teddy taught me to think differently and in the process changed my art and my life. I continue to carry his thoughts in my art and my life and express his great love of the world. 

My aroha to his wife Kathy, his daughter Clio, and his two sons Benedict and Zeno.

- Darcy -

MAORI ART MARKet – October 9-11 2009

Porirua will play host to MAORI ART MARKet when it showcases the work of more than 200 leading and emerging contemporary Maori artists. Exhibited work will range from painting, carving, photography and weaving through to jewellery, clay, mixed media and Ta Moko.

Creative Director for the event, Darcy Nicholas, said the contemporary Maori art movement was being watched with great interest throughout Asia, the Pacific Rim and Europe.

“Many of these artists are already exhibiting and have been selling their work on the international stage for several years. A number of them are not well known in New Zealand, yet have work in major private collections overseas where the art market is much bigger, more dynamic and competitive.”

Pataka Museum and the newly opened Te Rauparaha Events Centre will be the venues for MAORI ART MARKet on October 9-11. The weekend festival driven by Toi Maori Aotearoa alongside Pataka Museum has become an international showcase for established and emerging artists, many of who will be present demonstrating their work.

As a biennial event, MAORI ART MARKet has continued to go from strength to strength since it was launched as Maori Art Meets America in San Francisco 2005 and again at the Wellington Events Centre in 2007. Toi Maori Aotearoa have been instrumental in building the international profile of Maori art with other events including the successful exhibition Small Maori Treasures at the de Young Museum in San Francisco in October 2008, and at the Blacktown Art Gallery in Sydney earlier this year.

The New Zealand concept is based on the highly successful INDIAN MARKET, which evolved over 80 years ago and is held in Santa Fe every August. As part of this concept, other indigenous artists are invited to attend. This year Patricia Michaels, the renowned Native American Fashion designer, Dan Namingha the Hopi Indian contemporary painter, Richard Zane Smith master ceramicist of the Wyandot Nation, and Dempsey Bob the Tahltan Tlingit sculptor will be attending MAORI ART MARKet. Invited Pacific artists include Lorene Taurerewa, Michel Tuffery, and writer and painter Albert Wendt.