Te Whanganui-a-Tara - Lamina

“Brutally, suddenly cleared of its native cover, New Zealand has grown a new skin.” Gordon Ell

Exhibited at Studio Toru Gallery, Eastbourne, Wellington in 2023, Lamina is a mixed-media exploration of the layered memories and evolving narratives of our history, symbolised by the enduring presence of colonial impact on the landscape. Using waxed pinhole photographs, gold pigment,and embossed with etched plates of wallpaper designs featuring introduced weeds, the work reflects on the impact of colonisation and the Crown on Aotearoa New Zealand’s environment. Each layer — or lamina — echoes the complex strata of history that continue to shape our land.