This spectacular new work by Louise Pōtiki Bryant takes inspiration from Papatūānuku and the way whenua is transformed over time by the movement of water. After Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 devastated the land around where Pōtiki Bryant lives, she reflected on the inseparable relationship between water and land. Awa represent the bloodways of Papatūānuku, while Parawhenuamea, the atua wahine of freshwater on land, is linked with silt deposits and springs. Emerging from the mountains, Parawhenuamea creates pathways over the land, shaping it beneath her as she moves. By using her own body in this work, Pōtiki Bryant explores parallels between the evolving landscape and the changes women’s bodies undergo across different stages of life.

Papatūānuku ~ earth, earth mother

whenua ~ land

awa ~ rivers

He Kapuka Oneone – A Handful of Soil (from August 2024)