Mahiriki Tangaroa (born 1973)[1] is a New Zealand-born Cook Islands photographer and painter.[2] She is a former director of the Cook Islands National Museum. She is recognised as a leading contemporary Cook Islands artist,[3] and her work is regularly exhibited in galleries in New Zealand and the Cook Islands.[1]
In 2000 Tangaroa was appointed director of the Cook Islands National Museum, a position she held for three years.[1] She subsequently worked as the director of the Beachcomber Gallery in Avarua.[7]
Tangaroa began to paint in 1999.[7] Her work is inspired by ancient Cook Islands art and artefacts, including the "fisherman's god" Tangaroa, the war god Rongo and the goddess of Aitutaki.[8] Tangaroa's paintings ignites the discussions about the loss of pre-colonial and pre-Christianity culture in the Cook Islands, how indigenous gods that Cook Islanders once worshipped is turned into mass produced commercial exploitation.[9] Her exhibitions draws large crowds in the Cook Islands.[10]
Tangaroa is the niece of Cook Islands politician Tina Browne.[12]
In 2022, Tangaroa had a solo exhibition titled Kaveinga – Angels of the Ocean, presented by Bergman Gallery in Venice, Italy as part of European Cultural Centre: Personal Structures coinciding Venice Biennale.[13][14]
Selected solo exhibitionsedit
2022: Kaveinga - Angels of the Ocean, European Cultural Centre - Italy: Personal Structures: Reflections, Venice, Italy[15]
2020: In a Perfect World, Bergman Gallery, Rarotonga, Cook Islands[16]
^ abCharles Pitt (15 September 2010). "Local artist to help organize major international exhibition of Polynesian art works". Cook Islands Herald. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
^ abNigel Benson (9 June 2008). "Ancient inspiration, modern application". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
^Mahiriki Tangaroa (4 June 2014). "Atua Sacred Gods from Polynesia Exhibition - A Major International Exhibition of Polynesian Traditional Cultural Artefacts" (PDF). Cook Islands Herald. pp. 12–13. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
^Melina Etches (24 July 2019). "Making her art the real priority". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
^Structures, Personal. "Personal Structures". Personal Structures. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
^Williams, Al (2022-04-23). "Taking our art to the world". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
^"Mahiriki Tangaroa | 23 April - 27 November 2022 - Overview". Bergman Gallery. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
^Samoglou, Emmanuel (2020-10-25). "In a time of darkness, local artist sees light". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
^Etches, Melina (2020-08-18). "In the name of art". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
^"Busy time ahead for leading artist". Cook Islands Herald. 2007-03-19. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
^"Te Atuitanga - Between our Cloak of Stars | 25 June - 16 July 2022 - Overview". Bergman Gallery. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
^"OCEANIA NOW: Contemporary Art from the Pacific | Contemporary Hum". contemporaryhum.com. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
^"OCEANIA NOW : Contemporary Art from the Pacific". onlineonly.christies.com. Retrieved 2023-08-18.