Apato

An exhibition of sustainable and ethically-produced fashion apato (accessories) that showcase traditional Māori weaving techniques in a contemporary style.

Anna Hayes creates wearable apato (accessories) that are made from natural products and are designed to be timeless, fashionable and functional. Each of Anna’s creations is unique and has a life of its own, with a whakapapa that tells of where the material was grown, how it was harvested, and how it was transformed into its current form. Anna takes care to ensure that her work is sustainable and ethically-produced.

The works in Apato showcase traditional Māori weaving techniques to create accessories for modern life, such as the surfboard case pictured. Anna primarily works with harakeke (New Zealand native flax) and muka (harakeke fibre), as well as pīngao (New Zealand native sand sedge), possum fur, deer hide, ribbon and ti kouka (New Zealand cabbage tree).

Image: Anna Hayes, I will just be an hour, surfboard case.

TOI GALLERY

Photography: Tracey Scott