Cliff Whiting
Cliff Whiting Wellington Teachers' College | |
---|---|
Known for | Painting, carving |
Notable work | Te Marae (Te Papa) |
Clifford Hamilton Whiting
Career
In 1955, Whiting began teacher training at
As a district advisor Whiting worked with local Māori communities as well as schools to encourage engagement with Māori art. Constrained by the price and lack of availability of traditional timbers and tools he explored and encouraged the use of modern materials, especially particle and hard boards, and bold colours. These new materials and techniques combined with traditional subjects contributed to the development of his innovative artistic style.
During the 1970s Whiting accepted the position of lecturer in Māori art at Palmerston North Teachers' College where he introduced the concept of student marae visits and continued to encourage the inclusion of Māori art in schools. In 1979 he directed and led the carving, kōwhaiwhai, painting and kākaho panels of the college's wharenui (carved meeting houses) Te Kupenga o Te Mātauranga.[4]
Whiting's work with Māori communities and his belief in the importance on the role of the marae in maintaining and revitalising Māori arts and culture led him to contribute to and lead in restoring historic wharenui and other
Art
Whiting also continued to develop his art. He was one of the first Māori artists to illustrate for school publications such as Te Wharekura and Tautoko. He also regularly accepted commissions for large-scale murals including:
- Tāwhirimātea and children, 1978 for the New Zealand Metservice
- Te wehenga o Rangi rāua ko Papa for the reading room of the National Library of New Zealand
- Ngā Kete Wānanga, 1989 for the Christchurch High Court
- Aoraki and his brother mountains for the New Zealand Department of Conservation Aoraki / Mount Cook Area Office Visitor Centre.
He also completed murals for:
- Otago Museum
- Television New Zealand
- Archives New Zealand
- The Waitangi Tribunal.
His work is featured in the collections of:
Exhibition curator
Whiting played a significant role in a number of important exhibitions in the 1990s, each accompanied by a publication. He was able to show how Māoritanga could drive the re-evaluation of contemporary art and craft in Aotearoa New Zealand. In 1990 he was one of three selector/curators (the other two were Justine Olsen and John Parker) for the New Zealand Craft Council’s exhibition Mau Mahara: our Stories in Craft.[9] Whiting introduced into the exhibition unique functional and historical objects, such as the harpoon that caught the last whale off Te Kaha, and ensured that the exhibition took a wider cultural perspective.[10] He was also a key member of the curatorium for Headlands: Thinking Through New Zealand Art[11] that opened at the MCA in Sydney in 1992. In the same year Whiting helped curate Te Waka Toi: Contemporary Māori Art from New Zealand[12] which toured five US venues. This was the first exhibition of Māori art in the United States since Te Māori[13] had been presented at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 1984.
Arts administration
Whiting became involved in arts administration and in 1979 was appointed to the Council for Māori and Pacific Arts (now known as Te Waka Toi). He became the chairman in 1988.
After leaving the
Contemporary wharenui and marae
Following the construction of the wharenui at the Palmerston North Teachers' College and the marae at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Whiting continued to work on contemporary wharenui. He worked on the wharenui Maru Kaitatea at Takahanga Marae in Kaikōura, which was opened in 2001.[17] He also worked on the development of Te Rau Aroha Marae for the Awarua Rūnanga in Bluff. This marae complex was named in remembrance of the bus that travelled throughout New Zealand during World War I, receiving donations for soldiers.[18] Again the wharenui was the centre of the marae. Named Tahu Pōtiki, this wharenui also featured the bold colours and rich carvings expected from Whiting's work.[19]
Honours and awards
Whiting's contribution to teaching, art and the cultural heritage of New Zealand was acknowledged. In 1990, he was awarded the
Personal life
Whiting was born and raised in Te Kaha, New Zealand, and affiliated to the Te Whānau-ā-Apanui tribe. Whiting died on 16 July 2017.[25]
References
- ^ Maitaira, K (March 1962). "The Arts of the Maori Reviewed". Te Ao Hou The New World No.38. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
- ^ Smith, Jill (January 2001). "Multiculturalism and Biculturalism Art Education in New Zealand". ACE Paper 5 Issue 8. Archived from the original on 15 October 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
- ^ "John Bevan Ford". Archived from the original on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
- ^ "Marae history – a synopsis". Massey University College of Education. Archived from the original on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
- ^ "Cliff Whiting". Art Encyclopedia. The Concise Grove Dictionary of Art. Oxford University Press. 2002. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
- ^ Robinson, Helen (2005). "1985–94 Years of Turmoil". Heritage New Zealand Magazine Winter 2005. New Zealand Historic Places Trust. Archived from the original on 13 November 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
- ISBN 1-85065-618-5.
- ^ "NZMuseums". 18 October 2008. Archived from the original on 18 October 2008. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
- ^ "Mau Mahara: Our Stories in Craft". Christchurch Art Gallery Bulletin (73): 1. April 1991.
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- )
- )
- )
- ISBN 9780415330572. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
- ^ a b c French, Anne (February 1998). "Setting standards". Architecture New Zealand. Special edition: 69–72.
- ^ Trapani, Eva (December 2000). "KIWIphile File". Archived from the original on 17 September 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
- ^ "Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura – Takahanga Marae". Retrieved 7 March 2009.
- ^ Murray, Justine; Rakuraku, Maraea (November 1998). "Nga Marae o te Motu (Marae of New Zealand)". 09 Whiringa a Rangi (November) 2008 – Te Ahi Kaa Programme Archive. Radio New Zealand National. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
- ^ "Video highlights from Te Kāhui Whetū 2008". Te Kāhui Whetū. New Zealand Educational Institute Te Riu Roa. Retrieved 7 March 2009. Includes some shots of the carved interior of the wharenui
- ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
- ^ "Honorary graduates". Massey University. 4 January 2017. Archived from the original on 25 April 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
- ^ "New Year honours list 1999". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 1998. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "Te Waka Toi Awards". creativenz.govt.nz. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
- ^ McDonald, Dani (26 August 2017). "'Curious as hell' Maori carver Cliff Whiting awarded posthumous Te Papa honour". Stuff. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
- ^ Hunt, Tom (16 July 2017). "Cliff Whiting, artist and member of Order of New Zealand, dies, aged 81". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 16 July 2017.