Patricia Grace and Mark Amery open Pātaka Autumn exhibition season
9 Apr 2025, Ana Sciascia
The Pātaka autumn season recently opened with new three exhibitions. The first, a multi-disciplinary show by Hemi Macgregor, Waiora, explores our relationship – both physical and spiritual – to the environment and our natural world. Secondly, Toloa Tales by award-winning artists, Edith Amituana’i and Sione Tuivailala Monu, is a video work that follows their travels to Samoa and considers what it means to return to ancestral lands. And thirdly, Lovers & Castaways, is a touring exhibition from the Art House Trust with over 50 works from their collection.
We were honoured to have author Patricia Grace and arts broadcaster Mark Amery speak at the opening:
Each of our three new exhibitions have had earlier presentations in Auckland, Christchurch and the Hawkes Bay – and it was wonderful to welcome them to Pātaka for their iteration here. Iterations give us a fresh opportunity to see works in a different context; highlighting different relationships to people, location and whenua. So, we are delighted to hold space and share these exhibitions here in Porirua. And sprinkle them with a little Pātaka love.
The opening weekend included a gallery talk of Lovers & Castaways by curator Aleskandra Petrovic and Toi Koreo conversations with Toloa Tales artists Sione Tuivailala Monu and Edith Amituanai with Pātaka Lead Curator Ioana Gordon-Smith.
We look forward to hosting Hemi Macgregor later in the season to wananga about his exhibition, Waiora.
We also had Mitchell Manuel with us for the opening of his exhibition kei runga, kei raro: As above, so below, which explores Kotimana whakapapa through Scottish and Kuki Airani Māori ancestral connection. Mitchel's exhibition is on until 4 May in the TOI Gallery.
There’s a lot of noise around in the world at the moment, so if you need to realign and soak up some art – be sure to check out these fabulous exhibitions.
My thanks to our guest speakers Patricia Grace and Mark Amery and to mana whenua, led by Callum Katene, for opening this season. I'd like to also acknowledge the unwavering support of The Friends of Pātaka.
All of the three main exhibitions are on now until 6 July 2025.
Ana.
