Awe and Wonder Across 7 Continents

"Art has a role in education, helping children become themselves and less like everyone else."

This term we have been on a mission to learn about ourselves and each other. We have worked hard to understand the concepts of identity and culture and what they mean on a number of different levels. We really wanted a celebration of our rich diversity at the heart of this Art Exhibition.

Around the world in 2 nights !! This art exhibition took us on a magnificent journey across all 7 continents. Finally, the secret was out and many were left wondering how we pulled this off with our daily 60 minutes of Writing, Reading and Maths but the short answer to that is - We worked super hard making links and connections galore.

Where you see a curated collection you see opportunities to count, arrange in arrays, add, subtract, multiply and divide. You see our children expressing their inquiry ideas around identity and culture through writing. You see poetry that compliments our works inspired by Frida Kahlo. Last but definitely not least, we harnessed our strengths of reading to learn about the 7 continents and the wonders they bring.

Here is some specific information on our artworks.

Oceania

"Dreamtime art holds the stories of creation, a vibrant thread

connecting the past, present, and future of Australia.

Inspired by this rich cultural heritage, our young artists have

channeled the spirit of the land into their own works. Through dot

paintings, intricate line work, and bright palettes, they

have explored the ancient tales of the Rainbow Serpent,

the journeys of ancestral beings, and the deep

connection between people, animals, and the landscape.

Each piece is a personal interpretation of the

narrative about the Rainbow Serpent. This is a celebration

of storytelling, and a bridge between their imagination

and the profound beauty of one of the

world's oldest living culture." 

This was our dreamtime dot art that was inspired by the story of the Rainbow Serpent.  

Tongan tapa is known as ngatu. It is type of bark cloth made from a special tree.  Once practical for everyday use, ngatu is now a significant cultural treasure, exchanged as a gift during important occasions like weddings and funerals and as a symbol of respect. The intricate designs on ngatu often document historical events, and the tradition of making it, and processing the bark, creating patterns.  They used rubbing blocks and nature.  Tonga Tapa remains a vital part of Tongan cultural preservation.  

Asia

Here is our collaborative art project inspired by the works of Yayoi Kusama. 

North America

Our Frida Kahlo inspired mixed media art with our self portraits front and centre.

 

                                                                            

South America 

We were inspired by Emi's Retablo that she bought in to share with us.  

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Here are our Retablos that tell our stories of whānau celebrations. 

Africa 

       

Europe 

 

A big thanks to our Tautoru artists and their whānau that helped collect and curate some amazing collections, showcasing our rich and diverse identity and culture.  Our collections brief was open to interpretation with no expectations apart from having 100 and some link or connection to whānau, identity and or culture. Some pretty big words when you think about it.

It was truly amazing. We had 100 grains of rice, 100gm of sand, 100 pieces of seaglass, 100 favourite beads, 100cm of nanas wool from knitting, stamps, collectables and many other curios. They ranged from rare artifacts and treasures to beauty in the most obvious and common everyday objects. The sky was the limit and we certainly went there. Ka mau te wehi ! 

Thanks again Team for your ongoing support.