Prompts is Artspace Aotearoa’s latest exhibition, showing the early work of leading Aotearoa practitioner Michael Parekōwhai and Turner Prize-winning UK artist Lubaina Himid.
Presenting a large body of work on paper from Himid alongside the early and significant sculptural work, The Indefinite Article, by Parekōwhai, Prompts is Artspace Aotearoa’s first exhibition of 2025, which seeks to explore the gallery’s question this year: Is language large enough?
Sofia had a kōrero with Kaitohu Director of Artspace Aotearoa, Ruth Buchanan, about the show.
Beth had a kōrero with Murray Savidan about his new book, STOP: Look Both Ways, and his extensive photography career.
Sofia had a kōrero with writer, director, and producer of The Haka Party Incident, Katie Wolfe.
And for Stage Direction this week, Xin Ji joins Beth in the studio to discuss Body Story - a physical dance theatre piece - as well as his debut solo show.
On May 1st, 1979, a group of young Māori and Pasifika activists, He Taua, confronted a gathering of University of Auckland engineering students as they rehearsed their annual ‘mock’ haka.
Following director Katie Wolfe’s play of the same name - which travelled the country on a highly successful national tour from 2021 - the documentary uses archival and contemporary interviews with people directly involved in the incident. Sofia spoke to Katie about this largely forgotten piece of history and her filmmaking process.
Sofia had a kōrero with writer, director, and producer of The Haka Party Incident, Katie Wolfe.
STOP: Look Both Ways (Ugly Hill Press) is a new book by Murray Savidan. The book showcases some of the best of Murray’s photography from the 1960s to now.
Beth had a kōrero with Murray about the book and his extensive photography career. Additionally they chat about Murray’s time in The Bluestars, the first New Zealand band to sign to Decca in the ’60s.
In Murray’s own words, ‘You gesture with your camera, okay? You take a photograph, maybe another. You smile – thank you and move on. It’s taken 15 seconds, maybe less. But those brief encounters can be very rewarding. You remember them the rest of your life.’
STOP: Look Both Ways is out now at independent bookstores near you.
Sofia had a kōrero with Senior Curator of New Zealand Culture and History at Te Papa Tongarewa the Museum of New Zealand, Claire Regnault, about the inaugural exhibition of Vivienne Westwood & Jewellery, which opened last week. In light of the exhibition, she also spoke to Hunters and Collectors owner and founder, Chrissy O, about her experience collecting and selling Westwood vintage in Aotearoa.
Beth had a kōrero with tattoo artist and founder of Tāmaki Makaurau tattoo studio Two Hands, Spider Sinclaire, about Forever, a retrospective exhibition celebrating the studio’s twentieth anniversary.
And for Stage Direction this week: Jonjon Tolovae, Nikadrian Peters, and Lijah Mavaega spoke to Sofia and Beth about Mā: a devised theatre and performance poetry work that delves into themes of chosen family, motherhood, and identity coming up at Q Theatre as a part of Auckland Pride Festival.
Vivienne Westwood and Jewellery is a new exhibition at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Designed and curated by the house of Vivienne Westwood and produced by Nomad Exhibitions, the exhibition at Te Papa covers the extensive history of jewellery design and creation by the Vivienne Westwood house.
Sofia spoke to Senior Curator of New Zealand Culture and History at Te Papa, Claire Regnault, about Westwood’s career and the exhibition.
She also spoke with Hunters and Collectors owner and founder, Chrissy O, about her experience collecting and selling Westwood vintage in Aotearoa, in light of the exhibition at Te Papa.
Having opened in 1987, Hunters and Collectors is a designer vintage store based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington which specialises in selling brands of the likes of Vivienne Westwood, Rick Owens, Issey Miyake, Maison Margiela, Acne Studios and more. Chrissy is very likely the biggest collector and seller of Vivienne Westwood in Aotearoa.
Two Hands Tattoo is a tattoo studio based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland.
Founded in 2005 by tattoo artist Spider Sinclaire, the studio is now celebrating its twentieth anniversary with retrospective exhibition Forever, showing at Studio One Toi Tū.
The exhibition presents a diverse collection of works by local and international tattoo artists, featuring artworks, paintings, drawings, photographs, posters, memorabilia and installations. This art chronicles the studio’s artistic endeavours over the past twenty years.
Spider, who travels frequently and fills regular guest spots at a variety of locations across the United States, is mostly based in Los Angeles, California. While Spider is back in Aotearoa for the exhibition, he caught up with Beth for a kōrero.
Beth had a kōrero with Tāmaki Makaurau-based artist Christian Dimick about his latest exhibition Prattle Rabbit, showing at Grace Gallery until January 25th.
A new mural by Liberation Library Aotearoa has been unveiled on Edinburgh Street off Karangahape Road. In checking in with the past through the Polynesian Panthers and Black Panthers, as well as historical events like the Dawn Raids in Aotearoa, these murals speak to the current and future hopes for the well-being of Pasifika in Aotearoa. Sofia had a kōrero with Chris McBride and Tigilau Ness about the project.
For Stage Direction, Alice joins us in the studio to chat with actors Siobhan and Chris about Shakespeare in the Park 2025, taking place from Jan 18th-Feb 15th.
A new mural by Liberation Library Aotearoa has been unveiled on Edinburgh Street off Karangahape Road.
Inspired by artist and producer Chris McBride and event producer and consultant Tigilau Ness’ travel together to the Black Panther Party’s 50th Anniversary celebrations in Oakland California in 2016, the mural project seeks to honour the historical presence of the Polynesian Panthers and the Black Panther Party and the social justice issues they stand for.
In checking in with the past through such groups, as well as historical events like the Dawn Raids in Aotearoa, these murals also speak to the current and future hopes for the well-being of Pasifika in Aotearoa.
The artists involved in this latest project are Numangatini Mackenzie, Toa Sieke Taihia, Huriana Kopeke Te-Aho, Simon Endres and Chris McBride.
Sofia had a kōrero with Chris and Tigilau about the project.
For more information about the project, visit their website here.
Christian Dimick is an artist based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. He graduated from Massey University, Pōneke Wellington with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2022.
Christian’s latest exhibition, Prattle Rabbit, is showing now at Grace Gallery until the 25th of January. Christian described the artworks of Prattle Rabbit as ‘loosely figurative and a bit sketchy’.
Here’s my kōrero with Christian about the exhibition, with conversation about his creative practice and the influence of university upon his approach.
Florence Hartigan and Shoshana McCallum chat to Alice Canton about their shows, Me, My Mother and Suzy Cato and Merely Beloved! on at the Herald Theatre from 8-10 May.
Mayen Mehta and Ryan O'Kane from Auckland Theatre Company joined Sofia in the studio to chat about Murder on the Orient Express, on at ASB Waterfront Theatre 22 April - 10 May.
John Davies joined Sofia and Beth in studio to chat about Te Tupua - The Goblin, a solo play written and performed by Davies himself. Tickets for tonight's show at Te Pou Theatre here.
Ahi Karunaharan joined Beth and Sofia in the studio to talk about a mixtape for maladies, the final chapter of Karunaharan's trilogy. The play tells the story of 17 nostalgic pop tracks which chart the deeply moving journey of Sangeetha and her family in 1950s Sri Lanka. a mixtape for maladies is on at ASB Waterfront Theatre from the 4th March. You can get your tickets here.
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