21Apr

26May

Wantok

Apr 21 – May 26

Māngere Arts Centre - Ngā Tohu o Uenuku

Auckland

Wantok is an exhibition of Melanesian artists living in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

Artists are invited to present new works discussing de-colonialised views of beauty and mana.

Curator Luisa Tora frames the discussion through the lens of spirituality and symbolism associated with hair in Melanesian cultures. Several cultural observances regarding hair are related to rites of passage.

As a traditional status symbol, hair styles and care denotes personal mana and desirability. In this context, WANTOK is a Tok Pisin (Pidgin English) word referencing people with a shared set of Melanesian cultural values. The exhibition is the third project in a year-long exhibition series focussing on women artists of Māori and Pacific descent to mark the 125th anniversary of Women’s Suffrage in Aotearoa. 

Click HERE to learn more about Wantok and check out there schedule of workshops. 

Photo credit: Jasmine Togo-Brisby, ‘Post-Plantation, 2017’ Lightbox, 1650 x 1240mm