Mai Te Uira by kereamataepa

A part of the Aoao collection - Mai Te Uira considers the connections we have to te ao mariko me te ao matihiko (the virtual and digital realms) through a Māori lens. Within Te Ao Māori one the most important things is whakapapa - our interconnectedness to each other as tangata (people) and to the world around us. Our artforms, from Tā moko to whakairo also have kōrero (stories) as to their origin... over the years I have been considering the whakapapa and our connection to digital technologies - who would govern these spaces and tools as atua (deity)?... especially in the context of toi matihiko/mariko (digital/virtual Māori art). Te Uira - a son of Ranginui and Papatūānuku - is the atua of lightning and thunder. Mai Te Uira pays homage to the atua matua (supreme deity) of all electrical devices (including computers) - lightning being the natural phenomenon of electricity. Here - he floats in the clouds flashing light from the darkness. The aesthetic draws on customary Māori kowhaiwhai and references the impact of digital technology, the current trends within popular culture and social media, and their impact on Te Ao Māori (the Māori world).