Pou Ora is a multi-faceted project by local Tāmaki artist Chantel Matthews

Pou Ora

Chantel Matthews

14 - 25 February 2022

Online 3D virtual exhibition here.

Pou Ora is a multi-faceted project by local Tāmaki artist Chantel Matthews focusing on raising awareness surrounding the conditions of local waterways in Tāmaki, in particular, Ōmaru Creek.

The project involves a large window display at Glen Innes Library and a weaving wānanga here at the gallery. Three steel sculptures symbolising wāhine will be skilfully hand-woven with marine rope by Chantel and local weavers Ko Tou Rourou led by Karen Nathan and joined by Jamie Te Huia Cowell.  After the wānanga the sculptures will be on display at the gallery before making a short journey to Maybury Reserve where it will stand as kaitiaki for our waterways.

Chantel Matthews ( Ngāti Hounuku, Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Tahinga, Ngāti Ikaunahi, Tainui Awhiro) is a New Zealand Contemporary Artist of Māori and English descent. With an interest in how women hold space and time her artworks mobilise the 'everyday' as a storytelling mechanism with objects being described as sculptural moments that explore social, political and cultural concerns through her own subjectivity as a woman, mother, artist and wahine Māori.

Chantel works and resides in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa, New Zealand.

11 Mayfair Place, Glen Innes, Auckland

Pou Ora is proudly supported by the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board, Auckland Council, and Tāmaki Regeneration Company.  