New Zealand Academy of Fine ArtsThe New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, in collaboration with the Parliamentary Service, invited artists to respond to the theme of Toi i te Waru.
The name of the exhibition has been gifted by Ngā Ratonga Ao Māori at New Zealand Parliament, and reflects the warmth and joy the summer months bring. Toi i te Waru literally means “art in the eighth”, being a reference to the eighth month of the Māori year (Huitanguru, usually around February). As this is the hottest time of year, however, i te waru“ in the eighth” has become a colloquial saying more or less equivalent to “in the heat of summer”.
The response from artists has been overwhelming, with many more entries than could be exhibited, and generally a very high quality of submission. “Some really joyous and colourful works; I’m really pleased and excited to see the art gallery filled with some great artwork,” said Rafael Gonzalez-Montero, Chief Executive of the Parliamentary Service.
“We are delighted to be renewing our relations with the Parliamentary art gallery,” commented President of the Academy, Wayne Newman. “AFA Fellow Peter Coates was one of the first artists to exhibit there and, of course, the six woven panels of ‘Forest in the sun’ designed by former AFA Director and Vice-President Guy Ngan OBE, and woven by Wellington artist Joan Calvert, have been restored to their place within the Beehive foyer last year after a twenty-year absence.”
Almost 50 artists from Northland to Otago have had works selected for the exhibition in Te Papakura art gallery, within the Executive Wing of Parliament Buildings, from 20 December 2024 to the end of Apri 2025. The range of styles and responses to the brief was just as broad, and the works themselves include pen and ink, watercolour and ink, photography, gouache, traditional oils and modern acrylics.
The exhibition offers a tiny snapshot of the breadth of artistic activity in the contemporary visual arts in New Zealand. All the works are for sale through the Academy of Fine Arts.
