Matapihi #4

‘Matapihi’, the title of this series, translates as ‘window’. It is used by the artist to express the spiritual dimension he believes exists beyond our physical reality. Matapihi are also an architectural feature of wharenui (Māori meeting houses).

Other elements of wharenui are apparent in these works too. The curved sides of the paintings allude to the shape of heke (meeting house rafters), and the raised surface of the thick, off-white paint suggests the texture of whakairo (carvings).

In exploring these forms, the ‘Matapihi’ series highlights the spiritual aspects of wharenui. Like churches, meeting houses are often the cultural and spiritual centres of Māori communities.