Rangi Ruru Cultural Narrative - Artworks

Embracing art and design that acknowledges Māori artists and Māori themes, allows the tradition of art collecting within Rangi Ruru to expand. The last two years have seen the acquisition of work within these parameters and we present two works today that celebrates Matariki.

Artworks at Rangi Ruru related to Matariki

Michel Tuffery
Tongan Fetu’u, Koru Whetu and Matariki Fetu Pe'a (star) 2022
Laser cut acrylic

We purchased these works for Rangi Ruru as the whetu (stars) subject align perfectly with our ‘seek the heavenly things’ motto. The stars reference Māori New Year — known as Matariki, a time of renewal and celebration in Aotearoa that begins with the rising of the Matariki star cluster (the Pleiades or Seven Sisters).

Michel Tuffery says that the stars represent our ancestors. We may move on, but the stars are always present. In Māori tradition, ancestors who have passed on are not removed from us but remain present to watch and guide us. One star is adorned with Tongan patterns, one Maori koru patterns and one with Samoan patterns to represent the diversity of culture in Aotearoa.

Lonnie Hutchinson (Ngai Tahu, Samoan, Scottish)
Star Puddles 2017
Laser cut acrylic

“Whakapapa accounts for the way in which the earth, sky, oceans, rivers, elements, minerals, plants, animals, and all people have been created. All things are linked through whakapapa, as well as having their individual place in the world. Ultimately, it is whakapapa that connects people to each other, to their ancestors, to the land, to the oceans and the universe. What I have created is informed by our Kai Tahu histories.”

We purchased these works for Rangi Ruru as the stars align perfectly, once again, with our ‘seek the heavenly things’ motto.

The Bible tells us to set out minds on things above (Colossians 3:1-2). These are the heavenly things we are to seek. This could translate to mean that we should keep our ideas and thinking broad, big picture, global. To find beauty in a life well-lived, not to dwell on that which we can’t impact. The wonderful thing about a motto, such as ‘seek the heavenly things’, is that it is broad enough to allow us room for interpretation and critical thinking.

You can see a reflection in the black of these acrylic panels. Is it the star you see, or a reflection of the star in a puddle? Positive or negative - dark and light, life and death - there are always multiple ways of interpreting what you see and always more than one perspective. This is what to consider when you look at this work.