12/05/2025
"Pōhatu Roa: Stories in Stone" is an exhibition until 10 August 2025 at the Dowse Art Museum,
Karl Chitham, Director of The Dowse Art Museum and curator of the exhibition, explains “stone is an incredibly evocative material. We can all talk about specific associations we have; whether it is a whānau taonga handed down from generation to generation, a significant mountain or outcrop in the landscape that conjures special memories, a much-admired piece of beautifully crafted art, or a pebble collected from the beach to remember a special holiday.”
The works in Pōhatu Roa, which loosely translates to the long or enduring stone, cover a surprising range of topics include the touching story of whānau memories lost to time told through a series of bread plates carved from slate repurposed from a disused pool table; a 3 metre tall ‘necklace’ that acts as a literal and metaphorical anchor point for cultural histories; and the delicately carved objects of the everyday such as usb cords, clothes pegs and tiny birds eggs frozen forever in time.
Chitham adds, “Pōhatu Roa includes artists from a range of backgrounds and experiences including Māori, Moana Oceania and Pākēha. The most inspirational thing about this project is the level of respect they have for one another’s expertise—and their generosity in sharing that knowledge not only with the audience but with one another.”
The artists featured in the exhibition are Chris Charteris, Craig McIntosh, Fayne Robinson (Kāti Mamoe, Kai Tahu, Ngāti Apa Ki Te Rā Tō, Ngāti Porou), Joe Sheehan, Neke Moa (Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Ahuriri, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Whare o Papaīra), Renée Pearson, and Tim Steel (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Mamoe, Pākehā). These artists offer unique insights into the materiality of stone carving and its role in both personal and collective storytelling.
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