View my artist page on the Kotahitanga online gallery.
It was a unique experience creating a new work for the Kotahitanga initiative over the second half of August this year. Founded in 2020 by Creative Waikato, this project invites artists from all mediums to submit proposals each year to create new artworks that hold and express the importance of Kotahitanga – a united community against racism.
This year another diverse group of artists were commissioned to create new works for the Kotahitanga online gallery. My work, three reflections, for voice and piano, features three mini-movements and aims to evoke a poignant space that encourages the listener, or performer, to reflect on how they can extend kotahitanga in their community. It prioritises music’s universality and its ability to transcend language, racial and ethnic barriers, encouraging musicians and performers in the community to interpret, and expand on, the composition in a way that feels meaningful to them.
The physical exhibition, held at the University of Waikato’s Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts gallery space, will run from October 2021 to February 2022 and features all of the works from this year’s and last year’s artists. Scrolling through the online gallery, I feel inspired by the mahi of all the artists involved, and grateful to be able to contribute to this kaupapa.
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