Museum Store Presents Mataora: The Living Face, a post-graduate student showcase from Toihoukura School of Māori Visual Arts.
SAT 1 NOV - SAT 22 NOV
SPECIAL EXHIBITION STORE, ENTRY VIA
TE AO MĀRAMA SOUTH ATRIUM
FREE WITH MUSEUM ENTRY
Experience the vitality of contemporary Māori art in Mataora: The Living Face, a showcase of works by post graduate students from Toihoukura School of Māori Visual Arts. Works include painting, print, sculpture, glass, and mixed media, these pieces embody the living culture of Māori art and identity today.
These works are bold, expressive, and deeply connected to whakapapa and whenua, offering a glimpse into the creative voices shaping Māori arts today.
Artworks are available for purchase.
PAST EVENT: HELD ON TUES 11 NOV, 6.30PM - 7.30PM
Artists Janine Williams and Charles Williams, joined us in-store to talk about their works.
No longer confined to the streets, urban art shapes company and brand identities, enriches private collections, and brings vibrancy to communities around the world. As professional urban contemporary artists and creative consultants, they specialise in contemporary Māori art, cultural and creative consultancy, community engagement, and graffiti/street art.
Sign up to our What's On to hear about future events like this one
About the Artists
Janine Williams
Ngāti Paoa, Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara, Ngāti Mahuta
Janine Williams is one of Aotearoa’s first wahine Māori urban contemporary artists. With over 27 years of experience, her practice spans large-scale murals, contemporary commercial design, and cultural narrative consultancy, grounded in mātauranga Māori. She has transformed her passion for urban art into a professional career, bridging community engagement, creative leadership, and commercial design. Her work has involved collaboration with iwi, local and international governments, global brands, and community leaders, emphasising the human connections that underpin successful creative outcomes. Currently completing an Executive MBA and continuing her reo Māori studies, she continues to expand her creative and leadership practice, driven by the belief that art can shape identity, culture, and society for generations to come.
Charles Williams
Ngāti Kahungunu ki te Wairoa, Whakatōhea, Ngai Tūhoe, Ngāpuhi
A leading urban contemporary artist from Aotearoa, Charles is recognised internationally for his large-scale mural works that weave together endemic birdlife, cultural narratives, and indigenous worldviews. As a founding member of the award winning TMD Crew, he has helped shape the global street art movement, with projects spanning from the Write4Gold world championships in Germany to major festivals in Miami and French Polynesia. The first and only Māori artist to hold both individual and crew world graffiti titles, Charles has contributed to landmark projects including the Guinness World Record for the largest graffiti scroll in Dubai. Now pursuing a Master’s degree at Toihoukura while immersed in Te Reo Māori studies, he continues to expand his practice through mātauranga Māori, balancing international commissions with his commitment to whānau, culture, and community.
About Toihoukura School of Māori Visual Arts
Founded in 1990 by Ivan Ehau under Tairāwhiti Polytechnic, Toihoukura is the School of Māori Visual Arts dedicated to the preservation and innovation of Māori art forms. In 1992, Tā Moko artist and sculptor Derek Lardelli joined as senior tutor. Following Ivan Ehau’s passing that year, leadership was assumed by kowhaiwhai artist Sandy Adsett. Painter Steve Gibbs joined in 1994, and together they established a dynamic foundation programme.
Toihoukura delivers a comprehensive range of higher education qualifications —from Certificate to Postgraduate levels. Central to its mission is the continuation and evolution of Māori visual arts within a wānanga learning environment that nurtures both the personal and professional development of its tauira (students).