Isaiah Okeroa: lo
8 November – 16 February 2025
AV Gallery
Io opens a portal to our ancestral realm and territories beyond, acting as a vessel for introspection.
The installation includes a woven screen, and a projection of moving image accompanied with a soundscape of taonga pūoro and field recordings.
By using kākahu techniques to weave a māwhaiwhai tapu, Io anchors itself through ancestral narratives. This web serves as a screen of collective experiences, reflecting the essence of my relationship with Māoritanga.
Io also facilitates the recognition of masculine energy throughout my bloodline, translating it through a takatāpui lens. My body becomes a performative vessel, visually expressing the interplay between the feminine and masculine.
Acting as a tapu tether, the body connects the present to the ancestral realm. In this installation, physical presence and movement interact with the sacred web, emphasizing the embodied link between the spiritual and the corporeal.
This engagement underscores how our physical form grounds and sustains the continuity of tuku ihotanga.
This exhibition is supported by The Arts House Trust and Jan Warburton Charitable Trust and is in association with the Dunedin School of Art, Otago Polytechnic. Isaiah Okeroa is the 2024 recipient of The Arts House Trust & Jan Warburton Graduate Exhibition Scholarship.
One of the greatest hurdles for any fine arts graduate embarking on a career as a professional artist is to secure opportunities to exhibit in Auckland and/or to be represented by an Auckland commercial gallery. This Scholarship provides selected graduating students with an opportunity to exhibit at the prestigious Pah Homestead in Auckland, including a targeted introduction to the Auckland art market.
“The Arts House Trust is proud to support emerging talent through initiatives like this scholarship, which empower recent graduates to deepen their practice and in Isaiah’s case, cultural connection. Seeing the transformative impact it has had on Isaiah’s journey thus far highlights the importance of nurturing creativity and art-making, while supporting new voices in Aotearoa. ”
About the artist:
Isaiah Okeroa’s (Taranaki, Waikato) art practice comprises of multi-sensory elements that offer new ways for viewers to engage with Te Ao Māori, emphasising the importance of our connection to Te Taiao. Okeroa graduated with a Bachelor of Visual Arts in 2022 and a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours) in 2023 at the Dunedin School of Art, Otago Polytechnic.
“Receiving this scholarship as well as the recognition from The Arts House Trust has been a true blessing, this has been a reaffirming journey enabling me to trust in my abilities and skills as a Ringatoi Māori. This opportunity has offered spaces that have allowed me to step beyond art school and develop the understanding of what it means to make mahi toi - not just as a student but as an emerging artist. This scholarship has also been instrumental in allowing me to access sacred matauranga, resources and wānanga, which has not only enriched my practice but has nourished a deeper connection to my cultural identity. It has been an honour to be given this platform to share my work to an Auckland audience, especially for Māori, it is so important for our voices and stories to be heard, I am immensely grateful that “Io” contributes towards this kaupapa. E mihi ana ki a koutou katoa mō tēnei kowhiringa”
