Maungarongo Te Kawa

born 1969, Woodville

Ngāti Porou

Maungarongo Te Kawa is a contemporary takatāpui fabric artist, tutor, and storyteller. Grounded in te ao Māori, his practice makes old pūrākau newly relevant to modern life through the use of brilliant colour, fluid design, and infectious good humour. Te Kawa's work is held in major collections, including those of Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū and the Dowse Art Museum.

'The energy that the Matariki stars sing down to Papatūānuku in her most desolate time is the same energy that flows like water from my tīpuna to me. The closest I can get to that wonderful, dreamy place here on earth is when I am making. The unwanted and discarded is transformed into a world of soft materials and warm skin.'
MAUNGARONGO TE KAWA
Pūrerehua, 2021
Mixed media quilt
2400 x 1760mm
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MAUNGARONGO TE KAWA
I have everything, I am eternal creativity and the best is yet to come, 2021
Mixed media quilt
2030 x 1840mm
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MAUNGARONGO TE KAWA
Welcome Home, We Love You, 2019
Mixed media quilt
2700 x 1980mm
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MAUNGARONGO TE KAWA
The Sacred Kūmara Garden, 2020
Mixed media quilt
1750 x 1040mm
Private collection, Tāmaki Makaurau
MAUNGARONGO TE KAWA
Hīnātore, 2021
Mixed media quilt
2060 x 1850mm
Collection of the Dowse Art Museum, Te Awakairangi
MAUNGARONGO TE KAWA
Rangi Takere Hau, 2022
Mixed media quilt
2000 x 3300mm
Collection of Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū
Photograph by Sam Hartnett, courtesy of Objectspace
MAUNGARONGO TE KAWA
Waipunarangi, 2022
Mixed media quilt
1500 x 750mm
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MAUNGARONGO TE KAWA
Tupuārangi, 2022
Mixed media quilt
1560 x 1000mm
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