Takapau, 2022
This work is inspired by whariki takapau, finely woven mats that elevate and add mana to special events such as weddings, births and tangihanga.
In conceptualising this work we investigated takapau within Te Papa’s collection alongside the whariki designed by Kura Te Waru Rewiri in Rongomaraeroa created in the 1990’s.
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We were also inspired by the idea of Te Whare Tangata as a threshold between te ao atua and te ao mārama with the way whāriki delineate spaces within different ceremonial occasions.
Our Takapau is positioned to divide the gallery into two spaces that can be viewed from multiple areas. The floor level underneath the work is dark and enclosed, with soft dappled light coming through the weave, symbolic of a nurturing space of potential and creativity. Viewed from above the work is reflective and open, a reference to te ao mārama, a place of understanding and exploration.
The work can be viewed from both above and below simultaneously in open areas that allude to a Takapau that is in the process of being woven. We’ve learnt through conversations with Maureen Lander and other weavers that when viewing whāriki within museum collections the ones that are either unfinished or coming apart offer up clues into their construction. We liked the idea that viewers might envisage this as a work in progress that might continue to grow and develop.
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24m x 12m x 4m
Polyester hi-vis tie-downs, stainless steel buckles, J-hooks
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Commissioned and collected by Te Papa Tongarewa for the Threshold Gallery. Curated by Nina Tonga.
Making Takapau
Takapau is the centrepiece of Mataaho Collective’s show Te Puni Aroaro, a showcase the ever-changing nature of customary textile practices.
“I hope that young people and people who want to make art in the future, see our work and see that there are no boundaries to how they can connect to their Māoritanga or being a Māori practitioner.
That whatever they do and whatever they make is important.
That you can be inspired by the work of our ancestors and follow a continuum of art-making that is of value, and really is a way to talk about who you are.”
- Erena Arapere-Baker
A video produced for The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa by Rachel Anson.
Full transcript available here.