Summer Series artist talks start at Gisborne’s museum this weekend

For this weekend’s launch of Friends of Tairawhiti Museum's Summer Series of artist talks, Melanie Tahata (pictured) plans to discuss how an exhibition of works by a diverse range of artists is pulled together to tell a story.

Buoyed by the success of its Spring Series of artist talks, Friends of Tairāwhiti Museum has rebooted for the new season.

Friends has booked a new trio of talks for summer with three artists showcasing a diverse range of work in diverging forms of delivery.

The first talk is at the museum this Saturday afternoon when Melanie Tahata will discuss the group show Kia Ngāwari.

The show celebrates sun goddess Hineraumati and the warmth and growth she represents.

“Recent weather events have certainly made it a heartbreakingly tough summer for some whānau,” FoTM chair Kristine Walsh said.

“In this show, the 12 artists explore not just the optimism of the season, but also the relationship between people and their environment and the care needed to keep a balance between them.”

To create the show, Tahata drew together 11 artists to join her in expressing their takes on taiao (the natural world) and kaitiakitanga (guardianship) via media from printmaking to weaving.

In addition to her own artwork, pieces have been contributed by Steve Gibbs, Ihipera Monowai Whakataka, Maia Gibbs, Jean Johnston, Gary Underdown, Michelle Kerr, Teressa Matthews, Rina Kerekere, Torri Stewart, Rangituhia Hollis and Tai Kerekere.

“The artists are all either members of my Gisborne Printmakers whānau, or members of my actual whānau, so there are already these links between us,” Tahata said.

“What I hope to share this weekend is the thinking behind how the exhibition was curated to explore those artists’ themes within a cohesive framework.”

Tahata’s discussion will be followed with a talk by local artist Elspeth Leggett, whose show Te Hā Roha opens the night before Valentine’s Day and, appropriately, explores the language of love.

The Summer Series will be brought to a close by Jean Loomis, whose retrospective opens on February 20 and documents her storied career from 1964 to today.

Continuing the structure of the Spring Series, the Summer Series talks will take place at 2pm on Saturday afternoons with entry via the usual museum fees (free for locals, $5 for visitors). The schedule is:

• Saturday, January 31 (Mel Tahata)
• Saturday, February 14 (Elspeth Leggett)
• Saturday, February 28 (Jean Loomis)

Tairāwhiti Museum curator of art Jolene Douglas said the Friends’ talks were a great addition to the museum’s programme.

“They’re a wonderful opportunity for artists to share and to respond to questions about the inside view of their fascinating work processes.”