Torr said men who had accompanied their female partners to the exhibition had sometimes been bored on entering, but had found themselves getting interested because of the stories behind them.
She said the sculptures had wide appeal as viewers brought their own knowledge to their experience of the artwork.
"People seem to be drawn in by the beauty and intricacy and the details. They bring their own knowledge to it as well - if someone knows about tapa, that's what they bring to their experience. If someone knows about Cook or botany or cloth making or even blankets, they will bring that knowledge and experience to what they are seeing there.
"Or someone that knows how to construct a garment or knows about historical fashion or costuming.
"It's quite layered. It can spark interest in all sorts of areas."
Torr said the exhibition was about the place of women in society as much as it was about the meeting of two peoples, which was why it fit well into the Suffrage 125 Tauranga commemorations.
Vahine - Wahine
What: An exhibition by Jo Torr that's part of the Suffrage 125 Tauranga commemorations
Where: The People's Gallery at The Historic Village
When: Until August 28