Kaokao #1 & #2, 2014
Kaokao #1 and Kaokao #2 are large-scale installations that have been made using industrial material to reflect and highlight the following whakataukī:
He wāhine, he whenua, ka ngaro te tangata.
Without women and without land, humanity is lost.
Kaokao is a pattern synonymous with strength, associated with both a birthing and a warrior’s stance. It is also reminiscent of a military chevron used to decorate the sleeves of soldiers.
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With these aspects in mind, we chose kaokao to explore the portrayal of women within the colonial context of wartime histories. We were inspired to respond to the 100-year commemorations of WWI in 2014. We found that the commemorations tended to have a celebratory feeling centred around the fighting men and framed around old colonial notions of glory attained through battle. We wanted to create a work acknowledging the many wāhine who have stood in front, alongside, and behind their whānau to care for and protect their whenua, during and in the aftermath of WWI.
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Kaokao 1# 2.5m x 12m
High-vis tapeKaokao 2# 4m x 3m
High-vis aluminium and vinyl road signs -
Made with generous support from Creative New Zealand
Image credits: courtesy the artists and Singapore Art Museum during the 2018 Signature Art Prize.