This is an exhibition held in kaikohe to bring awareness and to help promote women's health and safety.
Us ĀKAU (Design and architect course) students have designed and taken charge of an exhibition that is displaying the work from the Taonga Wāhine Workshop to promote and celebrate women’s health and safety in Kaikohe and around Northland.
ĀKAU help to assist the progress of a 2 day workshop with 25+ women from Kaikohe and around northland .The woman there was surrounded by whānau, that are individuals in different generations or age categories in our screen printing workshop.
The women’s stories were captured through mark making, fabric printing, audio recordings and photography.
On Day 1 Discussions around women’s health and safety, whānau & community. Screen printing 101 and workshops on making patterns/marks that tell your story. Sharing the stories.
On Day 2 there were Screen printing workshops run by our akau directors and photography done by Carine Davis (friend of akau directors). Capturing the stories of the women who had participated in the workshops held in October 2015 by ĀKAU directors Ana Heremaia and Ruby Watson.
The result of the two day workshops are, we now have acquire screen printed fabric with the women's pattern designs printed on it with an explanation of the story behind how they produced their pattern onto the fabric.
>Phase 02
The ĀKAU youth presented their concepts for the Taonga Wāhine exhibition on 7th April 2016.
Respecting the wishes of the original workshop participants the ĀKAU Youth Designers kept with the kaupapa being: Wāhine, Community, Safety, Positivity and Whanau.
DEVELOPED CONCEPT: Taonga Wahine, the exhibition, speaks of the safety of home, the domestic and the feminine. Our concepts takes notions of the home, like the welcoming front door, the kitchen table and a lamp, each element revealing the pattern of the correlating whanau. The portraits will be the main event, accompanying the household pieces and designs done by the Taonga Wahine Workshop participants.
Visitors to the exhibition will move through the space, being introduced to each whanau and their story before reaching the end. The end will be a contemplative space where all of the work and images from the exhibition will culminate, along with information with safe places to go and a chill out, safe zone to rest in the postivity of the exhibition.
01 THE SIDEBOARD_Makareta, Ngatai and Mikara. Curated by Whiti and Eruwina
Welcomed to the exhibition entering through the front door as a guest then leaving as friends, keeping us safe and protected just like the wharenui.
"My drawings was about wharenui. It keeps us safe. It houses the people. Māori tangata. We were talking about protection."
02 THE BOOKSHELF_Kelly and Anika. Curated by Gabby
Always learning, growing and with new beginnings, becoming part of who we are. The mother and sister duo's work is represented by a bookshelf (Behind every person there is a story we don’t know, filled with learning and growing experiences) .
"We have an infinity sign so that’s to never stop and never give up. And a koru for new beginnings and we have 4 different ones to represent me, my brother, my mum and my dad."
03 THE WALLPAPER_Pheonix, Deevon and Charlee Littin. Curated by Javarn
Bright colours giving the illusion of being playful and youthful while the pattern works to
connect everybody with each other.
"It speaks about how our family is connected and everybody has something that connects us and we’ve got everybody with a meaning in the pattern. They’re understand, Protect, connect, trust, challenge, learn"
04 THE TABLE_Arthureen and Robyn. Curated by Whiti
People come together at the kitchen table, harekeke comes together in weaving and mother and daughter come together through adversity, all growing in strength through their unity.
"The harakeke was to bring us all in a circle, to be as one whanau, to make our lives in health and strengthened by the family unit."
05 THE WINDOW_Brittany, Dashae, Nga-Rau and Miriama. Curated by Tiger and Dan
The light shining through brings light to a whanau, represents safety.
"it’s a triangle it represents protection"
06 THE LAMP_Charlotte and Shaness. Curated by Sky
The light switched on when Charlotte and Shaness had children, spreading light through their lives while casting away the darkness.
"It’s all about whanau really, being safe is about whanau to me. Bringing your kids up in a safe environment around your whanau, telling them about your whanau. The feeling that I have when I have him, you can’t even explain it. They say miracles can happen."
07 THE DRAWERS_Matariki and Charlene. Curated by Rakky (who is also me)
Protecting her children, Charlene is represented by the drawers frame, holding them together. Even though she may not be there with all her children. She somehow, someway holds and brings them together to create her family that is most precious to her. There are 4 drawers, one to each of her children contain taonga.
"My kids have always been my strength so the pattern that I’ve done is the whole connection with my children. That is my 4 children in a pattern."
08 THE CHILDREN’S TOY BLOCKS_Shontai, Corinthian and Callisto. Curated by Shona
Representing new life, and old life, the children’s toy boxes captures the new baby playing and learning.
"My first child, and I just want to give her the life that she deserves and be a good mother to her. She deserves it."
09 THE LOUNGE_All works
All works projected in succession with all of Caren's photos from the workshop in a comfortable, safe place to finish off the Taonga Wahine Exhibition experience.
>Phase 03
Implementation!
Opening night 26th May 2016 27 & 28 May public exhibition.
Managment/stakeholders/funding/speakers/performers
Project management: Ruby & Ana from ĀKAU
ĀKAU design team Jess Rule: Health & Fitness instructor, 2x 2hr workshops on the 27 & 28th May $480 Tammy Davis: MC TBC Art & Design workshops run by ĀKAU youth Performance: Shona, Gabrielle, TBC Food design: TBC Funding: THOON
Timeframes
7 April ĀKAU Youth Designers present initial concept to key Stake holders
12-14 April Concept finalised
19-21 April Detail design completed, run sheet for exhibition confirmed & marketing/branding done and sent 22 April – 2 May ĀKAU youth designer mid term break
22 April – 26 May project management and exhibition development
17-25 May Construction (TBC)
26 May 5pm (TBC) Opening night
26-28th May Exhibition 2016 (maybe sunday 29th too??)
30th May Pack down & debrief.
June – No. 2 Parnell
Branding ĀKAU Youth Branding Team Leader: Rakky Alexander Postcards as exhibition invites
Posters about Kaikohe Facebook event and promotion Liaison with Womens Health and Safety Organisations ie Womens Refuge
PEOPLE
Ana Heremaia & Ruby Watson, ĀKAU Directors, designing, faciliating & follow up of workshop. Te Hau Ora O Ngāpuhi: Te Ropu Poa, Charlotte Poa, Ebony Prime ++, funders & workshop participants Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi-O-Ngāpuhi: Erena Kara, funder Amy Pyle, a textile designer based in AKL and Warkworth, delivered the screen printing component of the workshop. Caren Davis, a born and bred Northlander, was our exceptional photographer who captured women’s stories and photographs in a compelling and sensitive manner.
24 Incredible wāhine (and a wonderful tamaiti who came with his mum!) who participated in the workshop: Jane Watson & Eloise Pyle, Kelly Yakkas & Anika Rogers, Deevon, Charlee & Pheonix Littin, Matariki & Charlene Calvert, Shontai Beattie, Corinthian & Kallisto, Makereta, Ngatai & Mikara Jahuke, Charlotte Poa, Benny Ray & Hinemoa Ihaia, Athureen, Nyrie & Robyn Rakete, Brittany, Dashae & Mirama Kelleher & Nga-Rau Rountree
ĀKAU Youth Designers: Sky Martin (Youth Project Lead), Shona Harris
(Youth Design Team Lead), Javarn Atkins, Tiger Cowan, Madisyn Alexander, Gabrielle Harris, Rakky Alexander (Branding Team Leader), Whiti Korewha, Daniel Milne, Te Ikaroa
OBJECTIVES
Objectives for participants: A greater sense of confidence in creative ability and social interaction. An understanding of how to tell story through patterns. Working closely with whānau to come up with ideas.
Ana Heremaia & Ruby Watson, ĀKAU Directors, designing, faciliating & follow up of workshop. Te Hau Ora O Ngāpuhi: Te Ropu Poa, Charlotte Poa, Ebony Prime ++, funders & workshop participants Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi-O-Ngāpuhi: Erena Kara, funder Amy Pyle, a textile designer based in AKL and Warkworth, delivered the screen printing component of the workshop. Caren Davis, a born and bred Northlander, was our exceptional photographer who captured women’s stories and photographs in a compelling and sensitive manner.
24 Incredible wāhine (and a wonderful tamaiti who came with his mum!) who participated in the workshop: Jane Watson & Eloise Pyle, Kelly Yakkas & Anika Rogers, Deevon, Charlee & Pheonix Littin, Matariki & Charlene Calvert, Shontai Beattie, Corinthian & Kallisto, Makereta, Ngatai & Mikara Jahuke, Charlotte Poa, Benny Ray & Hinemoa Ihaia, Athureen, Nyrie & Robyn Rakete, Brittany, Dashae & Mirama Kelleher & Nga-Rau Rountree
ĀKAU Youth Designers: Sky Martin (Youth Project Lead), Shona Harris
(Youth Design Team Lead), Javarn Atkins, Tiger Cowan, Madisyn Alexander, Gabrielle Harris, Rakky Alexander (Branding Team Leader), Whiti Korewha, Daniel Milne, Te Ikaroa
OBJECTIVES
Objectives for participants: A greater sense of confidence in creative ability and social interaction. An understanding of how to tell story through patterns. Working closely with whānau to come up with ideas.