Event Details
Nau mai, haere mai to hear guest curator Tryphena Cracknell (Rongomaiwāhine) share insights into the exhibition Ahakoa He Iti.
Tryphena will discuss the exhibition’s themes, the artists’ works, and the ideas that have shaped the exhibition. Artist Aroha Matchitt-Millar will also join Tryphena during the kōrero, to share insights into her own work featured in the exhibition.
Tryphena Cracknell (Rongomaiwāhine) is a curator, writer, historian and kaitiaki with more than two decades of experience working across museums, galleries and the heritage sector in Aotearoa New Zealand. Her practice is grounded in te ao Māori and centres on the stories held within taonga, contemporary art, adornment, textiles and material culture.
Throughout her career, Tryphena has curated exhibitions that bring together mātauranga Māori, contemporary practice and community voices, while her writing has explored Māori arts, jewellery, fashion and craft. Alongside her curatorial work, she has contributed to publications on Māori art and cultural heritage, and more recently co-authored Aotearoa in Bloom, celebrating the unique native flora of Aotearoa. Beyond the arts, Tryphena has worked in conservation and environmental leadership, reflecting her enduring commitment to the care of both cultural and natural taonga.
As Guest Curator of Ahakoa He Iti, Tryphena brings together artists whose contemporary adornment practices demonstrate that even the smallest works can carry profound stories of identity, whakapapa, memory and connection. Through the exhibition, she invites audiences to consider the richness of intimate, wearable artworks and the powerful narratives they hold.