Article

By Adrea Rush - Unitec | 7 October 2008

2008 Walter's prize finalist, Lisa Reihana uses an interactive approach to culture both in her art and her role at Unitec's School of Design
Artist, Lisa Reihana utilises her expertise in communicating culture through art in her role as "Tohunga a Toi", at Unitec's School of Design while continuing to develop as an artist.
In August Reihana was named one of four finalists for this year's prestigious Walter's Prize for her Digital Marae installation shown in 2007 at New Plymouth's Govett-Brewster Gallery
The $50,000 Walters Prize, similar to the Tate's Turner Prize, is awarded for an outstanding contribution to contemporary art in New Zealand in the past two years. The winner will be announced on 31 October 2008.
Digital Marae (begun in 2001) is Reihana's major ongoing project and has been exhibited both in New Zealand and around the world. For the Walter's Prize nominated 2007 incarnation, she added six new photographs to the body of work.
"Digital Marae is an architectural piece that makes reference to Maori architecture and the interior decoration of the Wharenui combining photography and video," says Reihana.
"The new photographs in the latest incarnation bring atua, male, and takatapui or cross-gendered figures to the installation, whereas the previous images were all of female forms," she says.
Reihana's aim for Digital Marae is to create a whole Marae of images by the year 2020.
Reihana took a small part of Digital Marae to Paris late last year as part of the prestigious Latitudes Exhibition held at the Hotel de Ville in Paris. She had previously exhibited at Latitudes in 2005 as part of the Pacific show and was chosen as part of a group of 16 artists to return with new work.
She balances her ongoing work as an artist with her part time role at Unitec and it is her success with her work that provides a fantastic role model School of Design students.
As Tohunga a Toi, it is Reihana's job to support, mentor and advise Maori and Pacific Islands students as well all staff members in aspects of culture.
"As part of my role I do one on one and group mentoring with students, I accompany students on Marae trips and advise staff on cultural issues," says Lisa Reihana.
"I am on hand to help the students with different aspects of their study bringing my breadth of experience in the mediums of video, photography, sculpture and film," she says.
"I also have a wide range of contacts in the art world and so I can connect staff and students with people in the industry," says Reihana.
Reihana studied film and video at Elam School of Fine Art and has since contributed in powerful ways to multimedia and screen culture in Aotearoa.
Her Native Portraits video installation was commissioned by Ian Wedde and featured at the 1997 opening of Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand.
Reihana was also last year granted a major commission from Te Papa Tongarewa to create a series of artworks for Te Ara a Hine, the female entrance to the Marae. The commission was to celebrate 10th anniversary since the opening of Te Papa and was shown at the museum's Matariki Festival in June this year.
In 2007, Reihana was also selected to be part of Creative New Zealand's Visual Arts Delegation to attend the Venice Biennale; Basel Art Fair; documenta 12 and Muenster to reassess what CNZ's future role should be in relation to its International Visual Arts Strategy.
"It's great to be able to share my experience and contacts with the students and gives me a perfect balance and I am pleased to be able to give something back," she says.