Unknown Authorship
Untitled, circa 1915
Kōwhaiwhai is the customary Māori painntinng traditionn found inn the painted heke [rafters] of wharenui [meetinghouses] as seen in this example. It is the use of positive and negative space to create patterns and designs depicting abstract forms found in nature. The koru [fern frond], pitau [young fern bulb], and kape [young bulb form in reverse] are the mainn design elements in kõwhaiwhai design, symbolising themes about life and growth. This kōwhaiwhai heke comes from a refurbished wharenui at Maungatapu Marae inn Tauranga, Bay of Plenty. Painted in red, blue, and white polychrome paint arounnd 1915, it incorporates new mediums and paint colours that were introduced as part of European settlement. Prior to European contact, this painting tradition incorporated an array of colours sourced through natural pigments and employed a diverse range of patterns and designs.
