Knowledge Flows is a series of digital artworks created for Nuit Blanche Toronto 2022, presented across 16 large digital billboards in Yonge-Dundas Square, that reimagine the ancestral stories and artistry of my tribal group, Tamahaki, through a contemporary lens.
At their core, the works embody the flowing lifeblood of the Whanganui River, expressed through the dynamic interplay of kōwhaiwhai patterns, carvings, and rich symbolic references. The moving, living patterns are inspired by the intricate kōwhaiwhai design of a long-lost carved meeting house, a reminder of the ephemeral yet enduring nature of our cultural identity.
Central to the artworks are vivid references to our unique floral and faunal landscapes and their deep interconnectedness with tribal identity. The Tīeke (saddleback bird), for example, flits through the compositions as a visual homage to the sacred marae along the river bearing its name. Spiraling takarangi forms twist and unfold in the background, drawing from our creation stories and reminding viewers of the cosmological foundations of our world.