It’s always fun to visit Neke at her home/studio in Ōtaki. For me as a curator, it’s interesting to see how different makers work. Some — like Rowan — are very methodical, planning every detail from the start (you have to, with lacework), while others — like Neke — work more intuitively, based on the materials and ideas that come along.
Most of Neke’s materials are collected during walks on nearby beaches — Ōtaki and Raumati. And if you know Neke’s work, you’ll know that she uses these materials from te taiao (the natural world) to channel pūrakau (stories) of the atua (deities) who shape te ao Māori (the Māori world/way of seeing).
For this exhibition, Neke is telling the story of Hine-Papaira, one of the creation sisters, and some of the main atua that descend from her, and their roles and relationships. We talked about how one of the qualities of Papaira is that she is curious, always pushing to the outer limits of her space, and looking, looking, looking. With that in mind, we looked closely at the beauty of the many shells Neke had collected, and appreciated the stories they might have to tell.
Neke and her partner Paula had also recently been at a wānanga with Matthew McIntyre Wilson — learning knots from him to create kupenga (nets). This has sparked some exciting new whakaaro (thoughts), about how this skill and material could be used in the work that Neke is creating for this exhibition…
— Emma