The tangi of Rūaumoko

The Tangi of Rūaumoko, 2023 This image depicts a young, innocent-looking woman seemingly falling backwards into a bed of flowers. In Māori narratives, Rūaumoko is the atua of earthquakes and volcanoes, the youngest son of Ranginui and Papatūānuku. While versions vary by iwi, some say he was too young to be born, remaining within Papatūānuku's womb. At the separation of his parents, Rūaumoko's distress at his mother's grief caused Papatūānuku (the earth) to shake, spewing fire from her body and creating the first volcanoes. Through this narrative, Ranginui uses playful yet mystical imagery of flames, creating a whimsical image of an innocent woman reminiscent of Papatūānuku. The Tangi of Rūaumoko is from a body of four work commissiond by Christchurch Art Gallery for Spring time is heart-break.