mataaho collective's installation pays tribute to traditional māori weaving at venice biennale

Mataaho Collective wins Golden Lion at Venice Art Biennale

Mataaho Collective’s Takapau installation at the Venice Art Biennale 2024 has clinched the Golden Lion for Best Artist in the International Exhibition Stranieri Ovunque – Foreigners Everywhere. Positioned at the Arsenale’s entrance, the expansive artwork features a woven structure of straps, delicately intersecting throughout the gallery space. The piece creates a captivating interplay of shadows, casting intricate patterns on both the walls and floor, providing viewers with a rich, multisensory experience.

‘The Maori Mataaho Collective has created a luminous woven structure of straps that poetically crisscross the gallery space. Referring to matrilinear traditions of textiles with its womb-like cradle, the installation is both a cosmology and a shelter,’ the Biennale Jury, comprising Julia Bryan-Wilson, President of the Jury, Alia Swastika, Chika Okeke-Agulu, Elena Crippa, and María Inés Rodríguez shares. ‘Its impressive scale is a feat of engineering that was only made possibly by the collective strength and creativity of the group. The dazzling pattern of shadows cast on the walls and floor harks back to ancestral techniques and gestures to future uses of such techniques.’

all images courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia, unless stated otherwise

Exploring Mataaho Collective’s Legacy and Inspiration

For a decade, the Mataaho Collective (find more here), comprising Māori women artists Bridget Reweti, Erena Baker, Sarah Hudson, and Terri Te Tau, has dedicated their collaborative efforts to producing large-scale fiber-based installations exploring the depths of Māori life and knowledge systems. Their latest piece, Takapau, draws inspiration from the traditional Māori practice of finely weaving mats, often utilized in ceremonial contexts, particularly surrounding childbirth. In Māori cosmology, the womb holds profound significance as a sacred space where the divine and mortal realms converge. Takapau symbolizes the pivotal moment of birth, representing the passage between light and darkness, between Te Ao Marama (the realm of light) and Te Ao Atua (the realm of the gods). The meticulously chosen tie-downs incorporated into their installation serve not only as practical tools for securing and transporting cargo but also as a nod to the often unacknowledged laborers in society. This intentional selection underscores the importance of interdependence and pays homage to a heritage deserving of recognition.

‘We come from working-class families, our materials are an ode to that. This is reflective tape that you will see on safety gear in the labor workforce. Intended for high-visibility and often paired with fluorescent colors, these uniforms are meant to be seen- although the individuals wearing them become an insidious level of invisible. This is for those whose labor is relegated the background, to our parents and siblings, we celebrate you,’ the Mataaho Collective shares. ‘We have dedicated our careers to collectivity and we are so grateful. It doesn’t just feel like our award, but recognition of our supportive families, our visionary colleagues, our generous mentors and the indigenous artists of the future.’

the Takapau installation at the Arsenale