Te puku o te taniwha

Te puku o te taniwha brings together work by Aj Fata, Kahurangiariki Smith and Tyrone Te Waa, exploring the puku—a place of intuition, conscience, movement and sound—as central to Māori being. Initiated by Fata and curated by her, the exhibition proposes a present and future where shapeshifting and fluidity of identities are expected, grounded in mātauranga Māori and influenced by club culture and dance music. Works include Smith's video game What if my best friend was a taniwha?, a quest for wellness along the Waikato awa, and Hina, an LED work referencing the navigator and moon goddess. Fata contributes Wairepo, a moving image work documenting whakawhanaungatanga with whenua, and Hinaki Taniwha Hikuroa, a wire and silver thread sculpture suspended in the corners. Te Waa's felted works—Taniwha Guru, Healing Waters for our Sissy Taupiri, Swamp Hen and Kānga Pirau—suggest different modes of taniwha-being, while Fleapit, his many-limbed installation made for a club night, is suspended through the gallery space. Fata's audio work invites listening with the body rather than ears. The exhibition recognises the deep connection between the puku and the heart.