My Marae, my Methven

item details

NameMy Marae, my Methven

ProductionPeter Robinson; sculptor; 1994; Christchurch

Classificationsculpture

Materialspolystyrene, fiberglass, wool, velvet, linen, aluminium

Materials Summarypolystyrene, fibreglass, glass, wool, velvet, linen and aluminium

Techniquesconstruction

DimensionsOverall: 4100mm (width), 1620mm (height), 4500mm (length)

Registration Number1997-0024-1/A-D

Credit linePurchased 1997 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds

Overview

My Marae, My Methven
Robinson's construction - a patchwork aeroplane in the stereotypical colours of post-colonial Māori art (red, white and black) - is a symbol of connection and mobility. It sits beside a crate covered in the same colours and bearing the hand-written slogans of export and commerce: 'Invest today', 'Import Specialist', '25% off' and 'Scoop deal'. Alive to the spirit of cultural debate, the work draws attention to the links between the economic and the artistic in questions of cultural identity.

Cultural Safety
'My Marae, My Methven' was made for the exhibition 'Cultural Safety', a joint venture between Wellington's City Gallery and the Frankfurther Kunstverein, Germany. The exhibition's title came from a government strategy to address Māori health issues, which at the time provoked wide debate and accusations of 'political correctness'.

3.125 per cent caste
Robinson, who is of both Māori and Pākehā descent, made 'My Marae, My Methven' after exhibiting a group of his percentage paintings in 1993. These works dealt directly with issues of proportional representation in relation to both art and commerce - issues that made Robinson declare his blood 3.125 per cent Māori.

Major work
After it's acquisition by Te Papa, 'My Marae, My Methven' was exhibited in 'Dream Collectors', one of Te Papa's opening exhibitions of art and visual culture, in 1998. Te Papa also holds two other works by Peter Robinson.