John Wishart
Tidal Offerings
Karā (Basalt), Albatross Feather
ARTIST STATEMENT
“According to Dante...
It takes around 200 hours to fashion a pounamu tiki using available natural materials to gradually cut and wear the stone down.
Dante Bonica taught traditional Māori methods of carving in stone at Auckland University, and I was lucky enough to spend some time at his 'Te Ao Konatu' Wananga.
He once removed a bone flute I had remarked upon from around his neck and encouraged me to play it. I handed it back after a few tentative trills and asked what kind of bong it was.
Human, he said.
He wasn't kidding. He rolled up his trouser leg to reveal a gleaming prosthetic limb - he had been diagnosed with cancer, and I had been playing, or attempting to play, his amputated shin bone.
The albatross feather on the basalt mauri stone I have carved was given to me by Dante. The stone I made off with, in the time-honoured fashion of Ruatepupuke after it had been torn from the embrace of Papatuanuku by Takaroa, at Blackhead beach, Otakou.”