Kaitiaki Figure

Artwork

CreatorFord, John BevanNameKaitiaki FigureDate Made1995Medium DescriptionAcrylic paint on totaraObject NumberLU180Dimensions1650 mm x 520 mm (actual)Further informationIn Māori culture, a Kaitiaki image is a guardian, responsible for watching over and protecting the people and treasures of a place. This contemporary Kaitiaki, carved in totara, is sited to oversee the treasures of our University Library and observe those who enter. While safeguarding those seeking knowledge and encouraging the process of learning it also heralds that this is a place which needs to be treated with care and respect. The cloak form adds to the figure’s presence as a symbol of the wearer’s power, identity, and restrained energy.

Born in Leeston, John Bevan Ford was part of a pioneering generation of Māori artists in the 1960s using traditional symbols, patterns and motifs in modern contexts. He was also a strong advocate for professional art education in New Zealand, introducing a Māori visual arts programme to Massey University. His works intersect painting, weaving, carving, and sculpture, five of which reside here in the University’s collection.
Artwork CopyrightAll rights reservedKeywordsKaitiakitanga | guardianshipFigures | tāngataMāoriManaakitaka | respect, care

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Kaitiaki Figure

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