Mayhla Howells (NZ) he karere ki nga atua i te rangi – messenger to the gods in heaven
Mayhla Howells (NZ) he karere ki nga atua i te rangi – messenger to the gods in heaven
ABOUT THE PIECE
he karere ki nga atua i te rangi is inspired by Mayhla’s love of Tui. In Maori culture Tui hold powerful significance having been used by Ariki (chiefs) and Tohunga (expert practitioners) as the medium to communicate with the Gods.
With their exceptional vocalisation skills Tui were trained to recite karakia (prayers/chants), and also to welcome guests with speeches, in te reo Maori.
In honour of Maori culture this ensemble has been constructed using the traditional weaving technique of Whatu, including mawhitwhiti. The individual whenu (warp) are woven together with the aho (weft) using a double ply finger weaving method to fabricate the body and wings, simultaneously adding the handmade feathers.
Taking around 600 hours to create, the piece is made from 1.8km of recycled, deconstructed paper (end to end) sourced from recycling centres. It features 388 handmade and painted beads and 468 hand cut and painted feathers.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Mayhla is a contemporary weaver and her life is immersed in her creative pursuits. The use of sustainable and repurposed materials features strongly in her practice.
Mayhla’s education includes a Certificate in Tevaevae (Traditional Cook Island Art) and a Degree in Maori Visual Arts. Both qualifications were obtained at Te Wananga o Aoteroa, Auckland, NZ.
Her work has been exhibited in numerous group and solo exhibitions. Mayhla has also received many accolades and awards in fashion, trashion and wearable art awards.
Mayhla also has a strong focus on teaching and community connection, having taught weaving classes in both Auckland and Whanganui. She has conducted workshops in community centres, along with a variety of presentations, demonstrations and corporate events.
JUDGES NOTES
This award was selected by Devonport Mayor Annette Rockliff. The ‘Behind the Curtain’ award involves the Mayor previewing works prior to the award gala. Captivated by this work, Mayor Rockliff said ‘I can’t really go past it…’