item details
NameNecklet (Te ika tere)
ProductionInia Taylor; carver; 1987; Auckland
Classificationjewellery, studio jewellery
Materialswhale bone (bone), black ebony
Materials Summarywhale bone, ebony: carved
Techniquesdirect carving
DimensionsOverall: 13mm (width), 21mm (height), 102mm (length)
Registration Number2010-0008-1
Credit linePurchased 2010
Overview
Bone Stone Shell: Inia Taylor
Inia Taylor was the youngest Bone Stone Shell exhibitor, and the only Māori. From a family of carvers, he chose to work in bone - a material often associated with matau (fish hooks). But rather than exploring the fish-hook form, Taylor looked to the catch. His fish forms have big, glistening pāua-shell eyes and sharply carved fins.
Taylor has since become a respected practitioner of ta moko (tattooing) - a natural progression for an artist interested in carving and design.