Reclaimed Land: Tāngata, Tiriti, Taiao draws together work by artists who celebrate the work of caring for, and being a part of the environment.
Including new commissions and existing works, Reclaimed Land: Tāngata, Tiriti, Taiao presents an intimate portrait of the earth told through personal, ancestral and collective relationships between he tāngata and te taiao.
These artists suggest that portraits frame the future through acts of reclaiming and returning. They take action for nature, and tell stories of collective futures. They challenge the idea that a portrait can only be of a human image by celebrating the relationships with the environment that we form through deep passion and the recognition of ancestral connections. To tell the human story of the environment these artists draw attention to te taiao through the creative work of balance and restoration, defense, protection, and nurture. Their works open up and reclaim the land, reminding us that to tend to the land is to tend to ourselves.
Curated by Israel Randell and Susan Ballard
Access information: The New Zealand Portrait Gallery is an accessible venue, all on one level. There is an accessible wharepaku (toilet) at the back of the venue. The gallery has automatic sliding doors and glass doors that can be pushed or pulled to enter. We have a wheelchair available for use within the gallery, and there is low stool seating throughout. You can find more accessibility information here. If you have any questions regarding accessibility or if there is something we could do to make your visit easier, please get in touch. This exhibition includes looping audio, areas of low lighting and CRT Screens.
Tia Ranginui, Ka Hapai te Rama, 2023. Courtesy of the artist and Laree Payne Gallery.