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exhibition Details
Born from the idea that art can connect people and serve as a catalyst for nurturing and strengthening communities, Beyond the Walls is an education project that brings senior students from secondary schools across Tāmaki Makaurau into Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki to engage with art and each other.
Following a series of artist-led workshops, students were invited to create their own artworks responding to the Gallery’s collection and this year's theme: Tōku Tūrangawaewae – my place to stand. Tūrangawaewae is a Māori concept that refers to a place of ancestral connection and empowerment, a place that someone can call home and where they feel a profound sense of belonging andidentity.
For many of the students, responding to the question ‘What is your tūrangawaewae?’ was a complex process, given that many people in Aotearoa are from other countries or our ties to whakapapa, our ancestry, have been disrupted. The diverse artworks in this exhibition reflect the unique ways these students have grappled with this question, unravelling their connections to their identity, whānau, whakapapa, culture, communities and each other.
This year all 60 students’ artworks are exhibited at Toi o Tāmaki for the first time, presenting visitors with the remarkable opportunity to step into the worlds of our young people, to witness their stories, and learn how they understand their place in the world.
Participating schools: Aorere College, Papakura High School, Ngā Puna O Waiōrea, Pukekohe High School, Wesley College and Kelston Boys’ High School.
This project was made possible with the generous support of Sue Fisher Art Trust, Joyce Fisher Charitable Trust and the Friedlander Foundation. The Sir William and Lady Lois Manchester Charitable Trust provides further support for removing barriers for schools and students. This project is Enriching Local Curriculum (ELC) based and supported by the Ministry of Education
Image credit: Junior Rhind Singh, Self-Portrait of Knowing, 2024. | Exodus Godinet-Faafia, Culture In Kelston, 2024.
- Date
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- Location
- Lower Ground
- Cost
- Free