Whoever wrote the proverb “never meet your [creative] heroes”, obviously had never met Neke Moa. She is my mentor this year for Handshake8. I will not recite the incredible things that Neke has created, exhibited and taught, but I would redirect, and recommend, you to read Neke’s Handshake Project webpage here. Below are images from Neke’s latest exhibition “Ngā tirohanga whānui a Parehuia”, currently on at Objectspace Gallery (Auckland) until 19 May 2024.
Neke and I first caught up for Handshake8 back in December 2023 for a cup of tea and a kōrero. Through our chat I drew out some, for lack of better words, warm recommendations. They were not as rigid as rules or guidelines, but thoughts to keep in mind as I make creations at my bench. I hope to continue to add to this list as I learn throughout the year. Since the new year break I have kept these ideas at the front of my mind (and on my pinboard above my bench so they can’t be missed). I have begun to experiment with how to integrate these ideas into my practice and challenge my usual making process. In the short time since this first kōrero new ideas and objects have begun to emerge.
More recently Neke, Paula Conroy and I were able to catch up in person in Tamaki Makaurau Auckland for a field trip to Takapuna Beach. We arrived at high tide, which guided us to the upper edge of the beach. There were traces of previous storms and king tides. There was an immense collection of shells, driftwood and a sprinkling of seaweed from the high tide line all the way to the fences of houses that lined the beach.
We walked, chatted and collected as we went along the shoreline. We spoke about materials as we came across them: yellow and red jasper, basalt, driftwood, various shells including my favourite of the area, the Tuatua. We spoke about the whakapapa of those materials, thinking about their histories, where they came from and how they journeyed to this spot before we came upon them. We talked about how each beach and coastline has its individual make up of materials – different things coming ashore in different places.
We sat under an overhanging pohutukawa tree to look at the work and ideas I had been experimenting with. It was a wonderful exploration chatting together and holding the objects. Before we knew it hours had passed. We began our walk back down the beach. The tide had receded whilst we had been sitting under the pohutukawa tree. The ocean had revealed more collections of shells so we walked back along the water’s edge.
It took me a while to process all we spoke about: stories, histories, and processes. Even now I do not think I have recalled it all. Far from it. But I do have an understanding that as I make memories of the things we spoke about will rise up when they are needed. Now that I have had a chance to reflect on the making I have done thus far for Handshake8, I can see that my thinking and experimenting are moving into very different spaces. Spaces that I would not have explored by myself. This is the incredible thing with collaborations and mentorships to be guided into looking in new and wonderfully different spaces. As a maker with a studio space at home the environment can be quite isolating. My thinking and making can become narrow within the areas I am familiar with. I am so looking forward to seeing where this work will take me.