Pena (Bernard) Makoare

Te Uri o Hau; Ngati Whatua
Te Waiariki, Te Kai Tutae; Te Rarawa
Ngapuhi-nui-tonu

I live with my wife Hinerangi and our children in the Kaihu valley on the north west coast of the Tai Tokerau, Northland where we are heavily involved as a contemporary Maori whanau, with our ancestral obligations to all of our affiliated marae across the country. I am traditionally taught as a wood carver and practising artist/designer. My work is a reflection of my heritage, my environments and the importance I place in whanaungatanga and relationships between people, places and significant objects.

Bernard Makoare, Will Ngakuru, Andrea Hopkins and Amorangi Hikuroa in collaboration with John Ringer of Paradigm Associates, have created artworks for Shed 10, each speaking of the Auckland isthmus and beyond. Key strands connect the works: the sea, seafaring, encounters of people with people, and encounters of people with the environment, relating to the Maori belief that it is very important to welcome your guest generously and warmly, and to honour them with descriptions of the ancestral landscape. “The qualities of unity, cohesion, tolerance, as well as the challenge and embrace of change… are all considerations of a fledgling settlement, both from the point of view of the settlers and the perspective of those already here. This follows the thinking of the Maori leaders like Apihai Te Kawau who, although anxious about settlement at that time, also welcomed new ideas, technologies and opportunities brought by new peoples.” Links: architecturenow.co.nz/articles/shed-10/

Photo (far left): Jonny Davis

Working in collaboration, architect Lindsay Mackie of Archimedia and artists Bernard Makoare, Martin Leung- Wai and Petelo Esekielu, developed a concept for the Te Oro facility that envisioned the building being as a grove of trees under which communities gathered and sheltered to commune, share knowledge and be culturally and creatively productive. From this came Te Oro’s signature roof form, a floating geometrised ‘leaf canopy’ atop a series of ‘timber trunks’. Historically the grove of trees or ‘uru’ is a response to the remnant karaka uru on nearby Taurere – Mt Taylor, and an important part of local story telling for mana whenua iwi. In-between the three ‘adzed’ roof sections of the Te Oro building there are two transitional areas where natural light filters into the interior of the building. Here Martin and Petelo introduced the aesthetic of Polynesian fibre binding patterns, as a metaphor for the unity and cross-disciplinary creativity at the heart of Te Oro. This concept gave shape to the geometric skylight designs that feature overhead in these two void spaces in Te Oro.

Photos: Paul Reynolds

MIHARO: Extraordinary
Take (Pūtake): Understanding the Māori paradigm and world view, appreciation of identities, the significance of cultural narratives. Māori generic; Iwi definitive; Hapū specific approaches to how this relates to the depth, breadth and nature of relationships within a project to ensure veracity of information and congruent applications.
Miharo: To aim for the extra-ordinary and exceptional – creativity and innovation of “form:function:culture”
Ataahua: To aim for beautiful outcomes – style, form and artistry, method.
Kaupapa: The implementation of complex considerations as an overarching comprehensive plan – skilfully facilitated, best materials, expertly prepared, delivering a quality production.