Israel Tangaroa Birch

Aramoana

Aramoana by Israel Tangaroa Birch

Artwork Detail

Kei roto i te *Tai Timu – Tai Pari*, 2020 e whakaaturia ana te timu me te pari o te moana mā te whakaapaapa i ngā hanganga hoahoa e tauaro nei – ko tā te ia o raro me te ia o runga i konei he whakamaumahara i ngā āhuatanga ira tāne, ira wahine, i roto i te moana – pērā i a Tangaroa rāua ko Hinemoana.

Nā te pāpā o Israel Birch i ako ai a Israel ki te whakairo, ki te āta aro atu ki te mana o Tangaroa hoki. Ko Tangaroa te pūtake o te mātauranga whakairo, ā, kitea ai ia i roto i ēnei ata kōroto peita e whakaatu ai i te āhua horihori, i te panonitanga. Ko te hātepe hei hanga i aua toi he whakaapaapa i ngā tae maha, he tā, he oro hoki i te mata maitai waikura-kore, ka mutu e kitea ana te ia o te whakairo tuku iho i roto i te whakamahia e Birch te ata, te atakau, te auau, te hoahoa whano kē.

In *Aramoana* and *Tai Timu – Tai Pari*, 2020 the ebb and flow of the sea is made through the layering of opposing pattern structures – the undercurrent and overcurrent here are a reminder of the duality of male and female qualities within the ocean – as personified by Tangaroa and Hinemoana.

Israel Birch’s father taught him to carve and appreciate Tangaroa’s domain. Tangaroa the source of carving knowledge is represented in these holographic light paintings that embrace illusion and transformation. Made through a process of laying many coats of dye, etching and grinding the stainless-steel surface, the influence of customary carving can be seen in Birch’s use of ata (light), atakau (shadow), repetition and anti-cyclical patterns.

Title
Aramoana
Artist/creator
Israel Tangaroa Birch
Production date
2016-2017
Medium
lacquer on etched stainless steel
Dimensions
800 x 800 x 45 mm
Credit line
Private collection, Auckland
Accession no
X2020/75/2
Copyright
Copying restrictions apply
Department
New Zealand Art
Display status
Not on display

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