13 Nov 2022

Waharoa - how the Art of the Pacific has developed.

From Standing Room Only, 12:16 pm on 13 November 2022

Māori and Pasifika contemporary artists, whose work has enriched Aotearoa and captured the world's attention over the last half a century, share their stories in a new TV series, Waharoa: Art of the Pacific.

Waharoa are gateways or portals.

Telling the story of how traditional Māori and Pacific artforms have been referenced, adapted and transformed over the decades, is a daunting brief.

Hosting the three-part series is art historian Emeritus Professor Ngahuia Te Awekōtuku.  She's travelled the motu talking to some 60 artists behind significant contemporary artworks to hear about their ideas, their practice and their hopes for the future.

Lynn Freeman talks with Ngahuia about that journey.

The series Waharoa: Art of the Pacific will premiere on Prime on 17 November. We can't recommend it highly enough!