The 2023 exhibition Te Ao Pūkahu brought work by Māori artists from the Tararua district to Rinitawa Gallery in Woodville.
Presented during Matariki celebrations, the exhibition included several media and emphasised the cultural heritage carried through local practice.
Mike Holm’s route from painting to carving
Mike Holm had drawn and painted from childhood. Early work reflected his fascination with Africa, while his later career as a joiner and cabinetmaker developed his knowledge of classical furniture and architectural form.
He eventually found a stronger sense of purpose in Māori carving.
Holm’s designs referred to whakapapa and the journeys taken by members of his family. Natural patterns also entered the carving, including spiral forms observed in water after a stone is dropped.
Heritage made public during Matariki
Holm had initially been reluctant to exhibit, but joined several other Māori artists working across different materials.
The display allowed regional audiences to encounter practices that were connected with family knowledge, local identity and individual technical development.
Tararua mayor Tracey Collis described the exhibition as an opportunity to share the district’s cultural heritage.
The Matariki context reinforced that purpose. The Māori new year is associated with remembrance, gathering and looking toward the future.
Te Ao Pūkahu showed heritage operating through living artistic decisions rather than as a collection of static symbols. Holm’s carvings, in particular, joined craft experience with family history and environmental observation.
The exhibition also reflected a wider change in support for younger artists. Holm recalled having fewer opportunities when he began, while contemporary artists could gain visibility through galleries, community events and digital media.