CONTEMPORARY NEW ZEALAND JEWELLERY

The Dowse Gold Award Show

July 4th - 22nd  2011

Areta Wilkinson

2009 Award Winner

"Pepeha are Maori customary forms of expression that embody cultural perspectives by locating individuals within the landscape and within whakapapa, the genealogical context of eponymous ancestors. Pepeha speak about specific iwi (tribe), hapu (subtribe) and whanau (family) histories, thus they are statements of culture and collective identity from a Maori world view. Whilst far ranging in form these short succinct phrases reveal simple wisdoms offering insights into the lives of our ancestors, treasured, carried and retold by us. A focus was born of contemporary jewellery objects functioning like pepeha, that is an unlocking device to a deeper narrative and identity marker. An audio CD accompanies each work like an oral history with related spoken accounts (family, friends and colleagues) including my own"

Blackbeech and Honeydew Brooch, 2009
18ct gold
Collection of The Dowse Art Museum

Ring,    2008,    $3,500
E ai ki to te tohu o te marena "e kore e mutu te taura herenga tangata'
(With this ring I thee wed in the belief that a persons bond can never be severed)
22ct yellow gold
Korero,    2008
Audio CD

Areta selected

Alan Preston

Necklace    2008    $1,800
Muka, gold

Lei    2009    $1,600
Kauri seed, kowhai seed, gold leaf, muka

© All images copyright Fingers
Please check for availability, all prices subject to change