A vessel for introspection
Dunedin School of Art graduate Isaiah Okeroa presents Io, an exhibition at the Art House Trust's Pah Homestead in Auckland.
Io opens a portal to our ancestral realm and territories beyond, acting as a vessel for introspection.
The installation includes a woven screen, and a projection of moving images accompanied with a soundscape of Taonga Pūoro and field recordings. These elements intertwine to evoke a multi-sensory experience that transcends the physical, drawing the viewer to the wairua of the work.
By using kākahu techniques to weave a māwhaiwhai tapu, Io anchors itself through ancestral narratives. This web serves as a screen of collective experiences. It reflects not only the essence of my relationship with Māoritanga but also the intergenerational dialogues that shape our identities and stories. Io also facilitates the recognition of masculine energy throughout my bloodline, translating it through a Takatāpui lens. My body becomes a performative vessel, visually expressing the interplay between the feminine and masculine.
At the heart of Io lies the kaupapa of Tuku Ihotanga, generational cycles – what our whānau chooses to celebrate, continue or reshape. These cycles are not merely repetitions but active conversations with our past, filtering through each generation's lens. Io reflects this movement: the choices we inherit and adapt, the values we uplift and the stories we recalibrate. This awareness influences how we perceive the present and guides our intentions toward the future. By engaging with this cycle, we embody both continuity and transformation, ensuring that our actions echo beyond ourselves, carrying the essence of our tīpuna forward.
Learn more about the exhibition