Te Kupenga-ā-Toi Art Exhibition at Manzana

Manzana is hosting several art pieces made by rural creatives in our space over September.

This collection comprises local rural art from Wairoa, Hawkes Bay, presented on many platforms from artists from the township.

The Te Kupenga-ā-Toi Art Exhibition project will bring diverse populations together to view the exhibit as well as creating a celebration of Māori artworks in the city. It will also share stories behind the artwork and processes in creating and preserving mātauranga Māori in art.

The works will be available to view at Manzana for the entire month. Additionally, will be hosting a celebration of these works on Thursday, 13th October and Friday, 18th November.

Artworks being arranged at Manzana in preparation for the Te Kupena-ā-Toi exhibition.

This is the start of a three year journey for Te Kupena-ā-Toi, ("Undisputed Wairoa"). After a successful showcase in the Wairoa township to launch, the exhibition now visits Auckland to promote Wairoa and its many facets of creativity.

This Kaupapa aims to bring audience to rural artworks that would normally not be present or showcased in a city as large as Auckland.

About the project:

E pari ana ngã tai o mihi a Te Taiwhenua o Te Wairoa, a Adara hoki ki a koutou katoa e taunaki mai nei i ngã ringa toi o tō tatau hapori o Te Wairoa, otirã, i tēnei whakaaturanga e kīia ana ko Te Kupenga-ã-toi.

Te Kupenga-ã-Toi is about supporting and networking within the arts around the arts and for the arts.

The name "Te Kupenga" is adopted from the local proverbial saying, Te Kupenga-a-Te Huki - The setting of Te Huki's net.  The proverb reflects on the diplomatic networking skills of our Kahungunu ancestor, Te Huki.  He strategically married into three hapū across Hawke's Bay and then also married his children into prominent hapū within those areas.

This strategy not only formed and strengthened alliances but also built a mass network that reached across nearly four hundred kilometres. He was the "Social Network" mogul of his time.

Te Kupenga-ā-toi is a network of the arts.  One of our primary objectives is to build a network of our local artists to form a support system in every aspect that is needed by our artists in the region.  This art exhibition is a start to building that system and we will be able to create more opportunities to promote rural towns like Wairoa in the Cities through forms of Art as a creative communication tool and artist community.

Kindly brought to you by Adara, Wairoa Taiwhenua, Wairoa Cultural Arts and Auckland City Council.