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An art expo will be held in Pokeno this weekend to raise money for a new marae.
Contemporary mixed-media artist Jane Crosbie is helping to organise the art expo to raise money for the Pokeno Marae committee.
“I have been a professional artist for 40 years. I organised the art show to help the Pokeno Marae committee fundraise to build a new marae. Pokeno does not have a marae,” Jane said.
“Te Hau Kainga Me Nga Mana Whenua O Pokeno trust is the charitable trust raising funds to build Pokeno Marae. This is the second art fundraising event that the trust and I have collaborated on together. Our first event was June 22 this year.”
Hosted by Pokeno Hall, visitors can expect a diverse range of art styles, including photography, paintings, jewellery, sculpture, and Māori art. In addition to Crosbie, 11 other artists from the North Waikato area will be showcasing their art to visitors.
One of those artists is Crosbie’s husband, Philip Edward Crombie, who, for 25 years, has found inspiration in nature and the beauty he encounters around him. One of his latest works, named Time Traveller, became the exception to the rule.
“Time Traveller is unusual, as the inspiration came as I was awakening in the morning, almost two years ago, my mind glimpsed a shape which was obviously a tiki. Bold, charming, charismatic, fearless, confident, and certainly not angry.
“A shape that I had never seen before. A fusion of the ancient and the new. This shocked me, I said to myself, ‘you got to be kidding me’ because I realised I needed to make it. And that is why I remembered everything of that fleeting glimpse,” Philip said.
The Te Hau Kainga me Nga Mana Whenua o Pokeno Charitable Trust was established in 2020 to provide cultural advice and to establish a marae in the Pokeno area.
To help achieve their goal of building a marae, their local council granted them a 30-year lease on part of the Pokeno Domain. They also fundraise and are actively involved with their community.
“Expect the unexpected. Our Pokeno Pop-Up Art Show invites curiosity, while bold pieces like Time Traveller challenge conventions, and evoke strong emotions while leaving room for personal interpretation,” said Crombie.
- The Pokeno Pop-Up Art Show will take place on Sunday, September 28, at Pokeno Hall at 69 Great South Road, Pokeno. Entry is by koha, and children are admitted for free. The Pokeno Marae will be running a café in the hall’s supper room.
