He Toka Tū Moana | She’s a rock, 2022
The title and concept for this work is influenced by a whakataukī, which draws on imagery of a rock standing firm in an ocean current. Much in the same way that Barangaroo is the name of a strong Cameraygal woman who was a leader of the Eora Nation and lived in the area at the turn of the 21st Century, the image of a rock standing firm relates to the resilience of Indigenous knowledge systems carried by women. Existing on a monumental scale that eclipses the size and reach of an individual body, the work holds a physical space for Indigenous women.
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He Toka Tū Moana | She’s a Rock (2022) is a large-scale installation work commissioned for the 23rd Biennale of Sydney, responding to The Cutaway Barangaroo. Heavy duty tie-down webbing was woven between two columns, held together by ratchet straps, recognising Barangaroo as a place where fresh and salt waters meet.
In completing research for this project, we visited taonga Māori in museums in Aotearoa. We were drawn to customary strapping systems called Kawe, which were used customarily to carry heavy loads long distances. With an understanding of these techniques and methods, we utlised readily available materials to make the work, allowing the customary practice of Māori textile weaving to continue in new ways.
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12m x 12m
Heavy duty tie-down webbing
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Courtesy the artists
Commissioned by the Biennale of Sydney with generous support from Creative New Zealand.
Image credit: Installation view, 23rd Biennale of Sydney, rīvus, 2022, The Cutaway at Barangaroo. Photography: Document Photography.