Brett GRAHAM

Whaowhia 2007
Granite
Collection of the Edmiston Trust, Auckland Museum

For her Art New Zealand article Elizabeth Rankin wrote "Urns carry memorial connotations for many cultures ... But Greek pots were more customarily containers, and the title of the sculpture - Whaowhia, 'filled' - picks up on this idea, using Gilbert Archey's motto for the museum that captured its role as a treasure house."

Whaowhia are essentially 'storehouses of knowledge', or 'Pataka Matauranga'.

Rankin points out, " … small isolated images (which) are repeated in relief across the surface of the vessels - moa, eel, starfish, beetle, butterfly, and shell forms. Such signs may carry multiple meanings. Four-petal flowers, for example, are reminiscent of the designs of Pacific tapa cloth, speaking of culture as well as nature. Images of fossilised ammonite shells and moa refer to times preceding human occupation of the islands. Maori culture is represented by the simplified outlines of pa and whare, and a whakapakoko carving. For Graham, nautilus shells represent Ngati Whatua's prophecy of the coming of the tall ships of European settlers, while hands recall a pioneer memento from Albert Barracks, which he associated with seizing the land, but which are also found as symbols of companionship on colonial gravestones. Crosses too speak of memorials and the sacrifices of war - not only World Wars suggested by iconic images from the collection - Japan's Zero aircraft and concentric emblems of the RAF Spitfire - but the internal conflict of land wars denoted by flame motifs. Such symbols emphasise once again a commemorative function for the vessels. …"

She notes further, "Even the way the sculptures were made, in horizontal layers, individually carved and assembled in position, is significant. Graham has referred to the deconstruction and reconstruction of forms in a number of his sculptures as 'a metaphor for the Polynesian renaissance, literal cultural reconstruction'. On the ancient site of Pukekawa they speak of archaeological strata, historical layers that reveal history - geological, natural and cultural. More specifically they refer to the basalt boundary markers of Ngati Whatua, embodied in the recent renaming of the museum Tamaki Paenga Hira, a name that also alludes to ceremonial mounds of those fallen in battle, and to abundant taonga."

Graham's urns sit well on their site; imbued with complex layers of meaning they acknowledge "the double role of the museum as an institution of learning and a war memorial." The sculpture was officially welcomed with an unveiling ceremony on 3 May 2007.

Reference: Elizabeth Rankin, Professor of Art History, Auckland University, "Vessels of Memory: Brett Graham's Whaowhia at the Auckland War Memorial Museum". Essay for Art New Zealand. No. 124 / SPRING 2007.

DR BRETT GRAHAM is of Ngati Koroki Kahukura and Pakeha (European) descent. His work embraces Maori and other indigenous peoples' histories, critiquing and exploring issues relating to cultural inequities of the past and present within New Zealand and the wider Pacific.

Graham was awarded his Doctorate in Fine Arts in 2005 from the University of Auckland and in the last decade has exhibited extensively, both locally and internationally.

His work has been included in major national and international exhibitions including the 2007 Venice Beinnale, Biennale of Sydney 2006 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Asia Pacific Triennial, Queensland Art Gallery, Purangiaho Seeing Clearly, Auckland Art Gallery Toi O Tamaki, Parihaka: The Art of Passive Resistance and Telecom Prospect, City Gallery, Wellington.

His work features in most major public collections in the country and his public commissions include Kahukura, Tjibaou Cultural Centre, New Caledonia, Kaiwhakatere situated behind Parliament in Wellington and initiated by the Wellington Sculpture Trust, Kowhatu Karohirohi for the Victoria University Collection, and Escape for the North Shore Court House.