Paekawakawa

Original Carved Painting by Hikurangi Edwards.

Dimensions: 200 x 200 x 50 mm

Paekawakawa is 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.