Michael Parekōwhai:
Catalyst
Image credit: Michael Parekōwhai, Kapa Haka (Pakaka), 2003. Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tmaki, gift of the Patrons of the Auckland Art Gallery, 2004
Michael Parekōwhai is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most significant contemporary artists, known for his provocative sculptural practice. In 2003, Parekōwhai unveiled a collection of 15 identical life-size figures, each depicting the same burly Māori security guard. The sculptures were dotted around the gallery, acting as glossy replacements for the usual museum invigilators employed to guard artworks, ensuring that patrons don’t get too close. The artwork was not, however, concerned with making security staff redundant. Rather, Kapa Haka (Pakaka) (2003) explores how stereotypes about Māori identity have been exploited by Western ideological structures in order to protect and benefit Western values.
Parekōwhai appropriates a powerful stereotype that has come to dominate Western perceptions of Māori men. Indeed, many of us associate the image of a tough, strong and burly Māori bouncer with a night out. Although the figures communicate a sense of authority and a strong physical presence, their power here is diverted towards the protection of artworks. The defensive and intimidating stance of the figure, communicated by crossed arms and tilted chin, discourages any interaction. Parekōwhai’s work is a reminder that these largely poorly paid positions are most often filled by tangata whenua, whose remuneration is far less than the artworks they are employed to protect. This uncomfortable imbalance in value – commodity versus community – lies at the heart of Kapa Haka (Pakaka). The 6'2" fiberglass figures are based on a real person, Parekōwhai’s tuakana (older brother) Paratene. Yet the facial features and important physical nuances that may indicate cultural or personal identity have been . ...Subscribe to read this article in full
