Eight Māori artists will represent Aotearoa at the 2024 Venice Biennale opening in April in Italy.
They will feature alongside a significant number of indigenous artists from around the world in the main exhibition, Stranieri Ovunque: Foreigners Everywhere.
“I’ve lived my life with Māori art. Our culture has been challenged, questioned and ignored. Being colonised we lost much. I made a commitment years ago to be tūturu and enjoy the art I respect and belong to,” Sandy Adsett (Ngāti Pahauwera) told Creative New Zealand, which confirmed this week’s Venice Biennale announcement.
Adsett is among the Māori artists invited to present work at the prestigious contemporary art exhibition, along with Mata Aho Collective artists Erena Baker (Te Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai, Ngāti Toa Rangatira), Sarah Hudson (Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tūhoe), Bridget Reweti (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi) and Terri Te Tau (Rangitāne ki Wairarapa).
They will join Brett Graham (Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, Tainui), Fred Graham (Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, Tainui) and Selwyn Te Ngareatua Wilson (Ngāti Manu, Ngāti Hine) to showcase Aotearoa art in Venice.
Mata Aho Collective and Brett Graham will be attending Venice, travelling to Italy in March to install their works.
“As a collective of four Māori women we feel honoured to be invited to exhibit in the Venice Biennale, alongside the other artists from Aotearoa. We’re looking forward to meeting and engaging with artists and artworks from all over the world,” Mata Aho Collective told Creative New Zealand.
The Venice Biennale opens on 17 April and runs through until 24 November.