In 2016 I spent 3 months in New Zealand traveling around the coast of the north island with my wife and then 2 year old boy. I did art wherever I could. I was able to generate a couple of collaborations with Maori artists, which were the highlight of the trip.
When I go to a new country I like to research their traditional arts. I was struck by the complexity, depth and stylization of the Maori arts. I made several attempts at creating something based on what I was learning, but I realized that my efforts were falling far short, and that I was essentially 'taking' Maori art without putting in the time the craft required.
One of the things I love about Maori art comes from the tattoo craft. When designing a tattoo for someone, the artist listens to their story- their family lineage, their family members, significant events in their life, where they are from, and so forth. Then, they develop a design that includes these elements while maintaining the traditional elements that unite all of the traditional crafts. And they do this in a way that directly and specifically works with the portion of the body where the tattoo will be placed. The first thing you notice when seeing a Maori (or other Polynesian) tattoo, is how well it works with the body- the curves of the chest, shoulder, or hip. The other layers aren't apparent until you can be taught their meaning, though the depth and complexity of the design is very clear from the first glance.
So I went in 2 directions. One was to let go of creating something that had any feel of authenticity and simply go with the inspiration I was receiving. That resulted in pieces like this (for scale look for the blueish-black dot just left of center):
The other direction was to look for opportunities for collaboration. I realized that there were far more capable artists who would do a much better job at what I was envisioning but would never be able to do myself. When I arrived at Mt Manganui (literally translated Mt. Mountain(!)), I took a drone photo of the beach at its base. Through a friend I got connected with an amazing traditional artist- someone who carves bone and wood. After telling him my intention, he decided to connect me with a man who lives in the Manganui area as it would be more respectful, and indeed authentic. The Maori are fiercely connected to their land. One of the ways they identify themselves to others is through the area they come from- the natural landforms of their tribal area.
Through a friend I was connected with Pohe Luttenburger, a Maori tattoo artist who was working as a bar tender. I told him my story and handed him a printout of the beach from the aerial perspective I had taken that morning. He immediately began drawing the design in the image below. We made a plan to meet him and his artist brother Rikki at the beach the next day at dawn to recreate his work. My role was to keep the design tight and maintain consistency, but otherwise I was giving the reins to the artist and his brother. Well, that day things were not in our favor- the design was off in many ways and the tide returned sooner than anticipated. We determined to try again the following day. I gave my critiques of the work so we could focus on making the next version better.
And wow, did the next attempt strike a homerun! Every time I look at this artwork I am blown away. It tells the story of his people in symbols- the basket weave of the tail, the heartline, the waves. When I asked him if there was a message that he wanted to impart with this artwork, he said that he wanted to spread attention to the pipis, shellfish that were being lost in the dredging of the bay channel.
As we were finishing, a local school of young Maori kids with teachers who were friends of the artists working with me, came by to check out the work. Here's a fuzzy video of the kids performing a haka- a traditional warrior dance- within the artwork and then here they are running through the artwork. I engaged the kids and let them try out the rakes. When they left they lined up to say good bye to me. Some said thank you, and some of them pulled my head down to give me a traditional touching of the forehead and taking a breath together. Such a beautiful ritual of greeting and parting, an intimacy on par with the hug of a loved one. I felt touched, feeling accepted.
Through this collaboration I felt connected to the artists, to the Maori spirit, and to this amazing beach and mountain. Truly a special project that thinking about always has me feeling elated.
