Whakairo Conversations with Dr. Lyonel Grant
Two Powerful Kōrero. One Inspiring Saturday.
Join us on Saturday 21 March for a special double session exploring whakairo through engaging, thought-provoking kōrero.
- 11am–12pm: Dean Flavell
- 12–1pm: Break
- 1–2pm: Dr. Lyonel Grant
Come to one or stay for both, either way, it’s going to be powerful.
Registrations are FREE but essential, and if you want to attend both please book for both — Dean Flavell can be booked HERE.
Dr. Lyonel Grant: Ngāti Pikiao, Te Arawa
Lyonel is a master carver and sculptor working in many media including stone, wood, bronze, glass, ceramics, paint. In the 1970s Lyonel was taught by master carver John Taipa at the Māori Arts and Crafts institute in Rotorua, graduating with an Honours degree, before becoming first assistant to the master Carver at the Institute.
Making an outstanding contribution to Māori communities, Lyonel has been acknowledged with an Arts Foundation Laureate in 2009, Honorary Doctor of Philosophy (Education) in 2009, and Te Tohu Toi Kē a Te Waka Toi Award in 2018. Lyonel also combines his dual lineage influences while exploring western sculptural materials and techniques. To this effect, Lyonel was one of the concept developers behind the Gold Award Winning New Zealand entry of the Chelsea Garden Show exhibit in London 2004.
With an exceptional ability to trust his instinct in pushing the boundaries of a medium, Lyonel can take a simple tool, such as the adze, and shape a waka hull, leaving precise, symmetrical lines. Having learned from time-honoured disciplines, he endeavours to advance the visions of traditional practice by using his own unique methods.
Julie Paama-Pengelly: Ngai Te Rangi, Ngai Tuwhiwhia, Ngati Tapu, Ngati Tauaiti
Julie is a pioneering figure in contemporary Māori arts, with over forty years of experience shaping the field in her role as an educator across schools, tertiary institutions, and wānanga, where she now fulfils advisory roles. Her curatorial work and critical writing also provide important perspectives on contemporary Māori art.
A key advocate for the revival of tā moko since the mid-1980s, Julie continues to mentor tā moko artists and plays a crucial role in restoring the voices of wāhine Māori within this practice. She also maintains an international exhibition profile and has achieved significant public art project builds and art commissions.
Since returning to Tauranga Moana, Julie has been dedicated to amplifying Māori artists' voices and visibility. Through her work with Te Tuhi Mareikura Charitable Trust, which she founded in 2015, she continues to foster the development of Māori art within the region.