Paekawakawa

Original Carved Painting by Hikurangi Edwards.

Dimensions: 200 x 200 x 50 mm

a Māori place name meaning " the place of many kawakawa". It refers to the traditional Māori name for the valley and local area of Island Bay in Wellington , New Zealand , where the native kawakawa shrub famously grows.

Hikurangi meticulously hand-carves into layers upon layers of paint from her Wellington studio, a technique she calls mahi whakairo peita. Often guided by her tīpuna, she uses contrasting colours to acknowledge contemporary lifestyles, whilst telling stories of the past, present, & future. The soft, yet confident curves of the koru give depth & texture, drawing you in to an art that must be touched. All of which speaks to the dichotomy of the two worlds she navigates.