Ripeka Paapu
Whare Tangata
Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa, Ngāti Raukawa ki Waikato , Ngāti Porou
1 of the 12 heke that makes whare tangata
Heke tuarua
heke tuatoru
Ngā heke
Bachelor of Māori Visual Arts
I am a fourth year undergraduate student of Toioho ki Apiti BMVA Bachelor of Māori Visual Arts. Whare Tangata is my final installation of my degree. Whare tangata is an evolution of digital prints from 2022 and have become a 3-D installation. This work is based on Mana Tangata.
This installation is a contemporary imagined 'whare tangata' (uterus). This work utilises a single 'kowhaiwhai' element, the 'koiri,' to craft an immersive experience that evokes the feeling of being inside a 'whare tangata,' akin to the ambiance of a 'wharenui.' The design of this 'wharenui' ceiling pays tribute to the women with whom I share ancestral connections.
Long plywood beams, adorned with colored acrylic inserts, are strategically positioned beneath a lighting track to create an engaging interplay between the audience and the 'kowhaiwhai.' This installation offers a unique and imaginative journey within the structure. Tangible symbols have been harnessed to guide viewers into another realm, orchestrating a transformative passage from a state of 'noa' to 'tapu' as they step into the 'whare tangata.'
Wai, as a binder of the physical and spiritual realms connect te ira tangata back to Ranginui and Papatūānuku through whakapapa. Hineparawhenuamea, Hineahuone and Hinemoana symbolise the movement of wai from the mountains, through the landscape and into the sea. The three tātua represent the continuous transfer of knowledge and skills, held by mana wāhine, paying homage to the nurturing power of te whare tangata.
Medium: Plywood, acrylic paint and acrylic perspex
This installation is a contemporary imagined 'whare tangata' (uterus). This work utilises a single 'kowhaiwhai' element, the 'koiri,' to craft an immersive experience that evokes the feeling of being inside a 'whare tangata,' akin to the ambiance of a 'wharenui.' The design of this 'wharenui' ceiling pays tribute to the women with whom I share ancestral connections.
Long plywood beams, adorned with colored acrylic inserts, are strategically positioned beneath a lighting track to create an engaging interplay between the audience and the 'kowhaiwhai.' This installation offers a unique and imaginative journey within the structure. Tangible symbols have been harnessed to guide viewers into another realm, orchestrating a transformative passage from a state of 'noa' to 'tapu' as they step into the 'whare tangata.'
Wai, as a binder of the physical and spiritual realms connect te ira tangata back to Ranginui and Papatūānuku through whakapapa. Hineparawhenuamea, Hineahuone and Hinemoana symbolise the movement of wai from the mountains, through the landscape and into the sea. The three tātua represent the continuous transfer of knowledge and skills, held by mana wāhine, paying homage to the nurturing power of te whare tangata.
Medium: Plywood, acrylic paint and acrylic perspex