Rangirua

Rangirua, in its literal translation, means two minds. It also metaphorically speaks of having two aspects or existing across two different realms. Drawn to the pairing of two minds, two aspects or two realms, Rangirua deliberately embraces the format of the two-person show. Unlike solo exhibitions or group shows, two-person exhibitions allow for a greater intimacy between artworks and artists that reveals connections – and differences – in approaches to art-making.

Our first artistic pairing of artists Neke Moa and Rowan Panther takes us into jewellery and adornment. Both artists approach the legacy of jewellery with a keen attentiveness to materials and Indigenous perspectives. Neke Moa’s work often draws upon found materials to consider whakapapa through materials and form, while Rowan Panther’s works bring together European lacemaking, muka fibres and Pacific-inspired forms in an intersection of cultural histories. Together, Moa and Panther explore, in their distinct ways, what it means to make jewellery and adornment from this specific context of Aotearoa.

The second artist pairing brings together works by Gabrielle Amodeo and Martin Thompson. At first glance, both artists appear to share an interest in drawing. Gabrielle’s work with pencil and charcoal and Martin’s careful drawings in fine-point ink pens share a meticulousness and interest in the interplay between positive and negative spaces. Here, their works begin to diverge. Gabrielle explores what meanings are lost (or gained) in mark-making while Martin’s work seeks out the exactitude of complex geometries.

Both pairings allow us to dive deeper, through comparison, into different approaches to jewellery and drawing. Drawn to the fascinating overlaps, sympathies and distinct points of difference between artists, Rangirua celebrates the conversations that emerge when artists are placed side by side.