Came From Te Kore

Artist: Tessa Williams (Ngāti Rakaipaaka, Ngāti Kahungunu, Pākehā)

Opening 12 July, Came From Te Kore is a mixed media exhibition from award winning artist Tessa Williams, newly created for the Whakatane Community Board Gallery at Te Kōputu a te whanga a Toi.

Tessa's works reflect on the concept mana tangata, addressing the significance of collective mana. Collective mana is the inherent mana from one’s ancestors, the mana of a community, and the often passed over mana of our non-human ancestors. Non-human ancestors include the land we hail from and the land we currently live on. An individual's mana is enhanced by the actions of the collective they belong to, and this needs to be reciprocal for mana tangata to achieve its highest potency.

Mana tangata has infinite potential, only restricted by the constraints we place on it as humans.