Talisman I: Wholeness. Found bone, tī kōuka.
barefoot in the twilight, sunlight lingers between bones. a circle drawn in the dirt, i collect sticks to make a fire. dusk gathers, as does the quiet. stillness. i become a starlit sky, become woodsmoke, river flow, mossy rocks and hard sharp edges. flowers wilt at the altar. you are gone from this realm now, but your soul still speaks of fullness.
Talisman II. Snake. Basalt, tī kōuka, leather, resin.
That flow state of intuitive making can be difficult to land into. But once I’m there, I’m there. Channelling spirit as I work, receiving visions, words, past-life recollections and future visions to anchor into. Of course we all pour ourselves into our making practice, so there’s a lot of my own heart in there.
Most of all though, I feel it’s the land itself which speaks through me, a deeper chthonic / underground vibratory essence. I work a lot with the deep unconscious mind, which is not really even my own mind but that of the collective. I channel to create healing for the collective, whose voices and feelings I hear as a constant threading pulse, just beneath the surface of consciousness.
The river gave me stones that whispered in the same way that seashells have a constant sound when held to the ear.
Talismans III-IV. River. Conduit. River stone unknown, sterling silver, bone.
Sometimes my own work surprises me. I am making through feeling, through listening and observing. And then, voila! Something emerges. I then seek to understand what has emerged from these deeper spaces within me.
And aren’t we all nature? Not separate but interwoven, interconnected, like limbs of the earth, some kind of mycellium web, invisible threads connect us all together.
Themes in my exhibition works are embodiment, matrilineal ancestry, land-based spirituality, home, belonging, place. There was a journey through Aotearoa, spiritually and physically. I moved from one end of the country to the other, crossed islands twice through the year. There’s a large amount of found materials here, documenting my connection to the land, walks in specific places.
The collective and cosmic parts of this work involve broader philosophical and indigenous spiritual disciplines such as Rongoā Māori- to be here, now, in Aotearoa, working with the land around me, and Traditional Chinese Medicine – a heavy focus on yin energy; receptive, dark, cold, deep, feminine, introspective, reflective, acceptance of what is.
Talisman V. Key Talisman VI. Earth Talisman VII. Sky Talisman VIII. Liminal Pakohe and Bone. Talisman IX. Void Serpentine.
There are aspects here of witchcraft and paganism or land-based spirituality. I have to be discerning of what is real and what is not. Being selective with my materials, my magick, acknowledging and knowing what energies are moving through me and emerging into my practice. Practicing self-responsibility within my practice of magick. Working with integrity, to self, heart, land and collective consciousness.
I often seek the quietest voice. The stillness, the silence. The feeling of deep listening. Imagine pressing your ear up against a tree and listening for any sounds within it – that’s how quiet you need to make your body and mind, in order to listen to what nature says.
Creating the show with a group of jewellery artists, each exhibiting different kinds of works within the realm of adornment and stories, was a fascinating, valuable experience. I was in awe of all the various works we brought out, it certainly created an interesting show with much to explore as a viewer.
Installation shot of my work, including a small view of the audio-visual of Tākaka River.
I’d like to create more interactive artworks, too, that engage the viewers and make them part of the art – to create those experiences to not simply be the observer, but to become the story, too.
The feedback and support received from mentors and colleagues from this show was enriching and encouraging to my creative self. I look forward to 2024’s new, deeper and edgier experimentation!
“The wings lead you skyward… the video brings you back to the river, to the earth.”
“This work commands respect.”
“How can you activate the objects – channel, rituals”
“Very Poignant… I don’t believe I’ve ever seen such a combination of different belief and healing systems in jewellery, in a way that holds so much integrity – doesn’t feel superficial.”
“Curious to see what more experimental work might look like.”
“I’d love to see you incorporate more sound and interaction in your installation.”
“Fire… how this element could be creatively added.”
“Love – restrained colour palette. Mystical soul throughout. Talismanic.”
Feedback from colleagues.
Tūī Diprose is a multidisciplinary creative who finds their inspiration in spiritual rivers, fossicked in natural environments, gleaned through conversation and activated in ritual. Their making process is intuitive, conceptually led by folktales, archetypes and pūrakāu.
Tūī is a contemporary jeweller from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. They received a Bachelor of Visual Arts from Otago Polytechnic in 2019, after finishing their Diploma in Jewellery from Hungry Creek School of Art and Craft in 2017. Alongside their practice is their work as a holistic healer, interweaving their art into talisman.
They have exhibited nationally and internationally: Clink Project6 at Radiant Pavillion, Melbourne; Clink Project7 in Pōneke Wellington; Studio One Toi Tū, Tāmaki Makaurau. At present their practice is focused on Handshake8, to be completed in 2024.