Whakawhiti: Toi WhakaTAA <> Toi WhakaATA

Whakawhiti

Toi WhakaTAA <> Toi WhakaATA

Celebrating 20 years revealing to light

2006 – 2026

Whakawhiti marks a milestone moment in the work of the national Māori printmakers collective through the work of six key members in Gabrielle Belz, Maude Cook-Davies, Vanessa Edwards, Jasmine Horton, Faith McManus and Alexis Neal. This exhibition celebrates and reflects on 20 years of this unique collective with signature works from across this time presented alongside new works.

Established in 2006 at a hui in Whanganui, this was a moment to make visible Māori artists invested in printmaking and to advance a collective vision for the discipline within contemporary Māori art. Given the name Toi WhakaTAA – to leave an artistic impression – it announced the rōpū’s intentions. On the shores of Lake Taupō in 2016, marking ten years of the collective, the name evolved to Toi WhakaATA meaning to ‘reveal to light’, reflecting its growth which reaffirmed the kaupapa of the collective.  It seems fitting that this exhibition titled Whakawhiti speaks to this current moment of transition, exchange and development.

The collective has fostered a culture of collaboration, exchange and mutual support, embracing artists exploring a broad range of printmaking techniques, practices and innovations while maintaining a kaupapa Māori approach.

Toi WhakaATA continues to be a platform for mentorship and cultural exchange. It has strengthened relationships between established, emerging and international artists all invested in revealing to light the enduring nature of this artform and its artists in Aotearoa and beyond.  This exhibition celebrates how Toi WhakaATA has redefined printmaking in Aotearoa and located the discipline within a whakapapa of toi Māori as an important and enduring art practice.