Young Maori Gaining Inspiration From Biennial Art Market

The biennial Maori Art Market is providing inspiration and a pathway for young and emerging contemporary Maori artists who are determined to make a career in the arts world.

Gisborne ceramics artist Baye Riddell says that globalisation of contemporary Maori art through the internet and the range of computer and electronic art forms now available offered more opportunity for young people today, compared to when he was a young man starting his career.

“Every business takes several years to become established and it requires perseverance. Success is five percent inspiration and artistic ability with 95 percent perspiration,” he says. “Young people should aim for the top niche, be uncompromising in producing quality and totally honest when evaluating their own work.”

He is developing a variety of themes around migrations for his clay work at this year’s Maori Art Market being held at Porirua City’s Te Rauparaha Arena and Pataka Museum in October.

With over 200 artists displaying their work, the event has become this country’s largest gathering of contemporary Maori artists and will coincide with the final pool games and the quarter finals of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

An influx of tens of thousands of international rugby tourists is expected during the event, which will provide an opportunity to showcase Maori culture through contemporary Maori art, and enable visitors to talk to the artists and buy genuine Maori items to take home as mementos.

Maori Art Market will start at 6.30pm on 4 October 2011 with a formal welcome at Pataka Museum for artists Bunmei Okabe from Japan, invited New Zealand artist Grahame Sydney, and Contemporary Maori artists Beverly Rhodes, Maria Brockhill, Barry Te Whatu, Norm Heke, Regan Balzer and Tanu Aumua.

The grand opening of Maori Art Market will be the following night at 6.00pm 5 October 2011, in the Te Rauparaha Arena. It will feature food, wine, fashion and opera singers. It is expected to be attended by the artists, invited guests, art collectors and buyers who will be given the first choice of the work on sale.

Other specially invited guest artists to Maori Art Market this year include Dan Namingha from USA, Danny Eastwood from Australia, Filipe Tohi, New Zealand Tongan, Fatu Feu’u, New Zealand Samoan, and Peter Coates, a documentary-maker.

Baye Riddell says this gives young and emerging artists a chance to rub shoulders with established and internationally renowned artists by participating in a movement that is increasingly becoming internationally recognised and acclaimed.

“These are very exciting times for contemporary Maori art and the Maori Art Market concept is becoming recognised for its status as the leading event of its kind in New Zealand,” he said. “A measure of its success is that it continues to attract the support of renowned Maori and international artists, while at the same time providing a launching pad for highly talented emerging artists who consider it an honour to be invited.”

After the Maori Art Market Baye Riddell will concentrate on continued experimentation with low fire firing techniques that will build on current knowledge in this area of ceramics. This work will be funded by a $65,000 Creative New Zealand Craft/Object Fellowship that was awarded to him recently.

Caption: Leading ceramics artist Baye Riddell, whose work will again feature at the MAORI ART MARKet in the Te Rauparaha Arena, Porirua City on October 9, 10 and 11.

For further information or an interview contact Baye Riddell Tel 06 867-2201 or MAORI ART MARKet creative director Darcy Nicholas Tel 021 313 357. Released by Iain Morrison from Morrison McDougall tel 021 688 668.

ENDS

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