Kereama Taepa, 2022
The work of Kereama Taepa sits easily within a framework of reflective, incessant innovation. Over his career, Taepa has grounded his work within customary Māori knowledge, while incorporating new techniques, materials and processes in the spirit of constant change.
Since 2011 he has been experimenting with 3D printing and virtual reality – most notably producing the coveted 3D-printed heitiki which he first made in 2012. He explains that connections can be made between digital spaces and Māori philosophy: “things are there yet not there – both are tangible but yet intangible. I use new technology to connect the now with the past, to present the beginning.
Son of a Māori father and Pākehā mother, Taepa draws on multiple heritages and interests in his creative life – references to retro gaming, science fiction and film, for instance, are considered alongside the carving traditions of Te Āti Awa and Te Arawa from whom he descends.
