Maori Moving Image

Māori Moving Image

Māori Moving Image is a richly produced hardcover publication that celebrates the breadth and depth of Māori moving image art across more than four decades. It explores how Māori artists have used film, video, and animation as powerful tools to express cultural identity, explore whakapapa (genealogy), whenua (land), and whanaungatanga (relationships), and to connect the past with the present through storytelling.

The book showcases the work of leading and emerging artists including Lisa Reihana, Shannon Te Ao, Nova Paul, Jeremy Leatinu’u, Nathan Pōhio, Louise Pōtiki Bryant, and Rachael Rakena. Through diverse formats—ranging from 16mm film and hand-drawn animation to 4K video and smartphone footage—these artists blend contemporary media with Māori worldviews and traditional art forms.

Accompanying the visual works are thoughtful essays and interviews written by curators and writers such as Melanie Oliver, Bridget Reweti, Maree Mills, Ariana Tikao, Dr. Nina Tonga, and Matariki Williams. Texts are presented in both te reo Māori and English, adding depth and accessibility to the cultural conversations within.

Published by Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, this book is a significant and timely reflection on the role of moving image in Māori art and its power to preserve, provoke, and inspire.