Colleen Waata Urlich
Colleen's work as a clay artist is based on customary knowledge and esoteric concepts, often acknowledging Pacific forebears and Maori female deities.
1 Sep 2003
Colleen Waata Urlich, MFA (hons) BAA, JP
Tribal Group: Te Popoto o Ngapuhi ki Kaipara
Colleen is a senior foundation member of the national body of Maori clay workers. Her work is underpinned by a Masters research into the thousands of years old Pacific Lapita clay culture, whose legacy of decorative patterning can be found throughout the South Pacific, and customary Maori clay knowledge. A paper on her research was published in ‘Pacific Archaeology: assessments and prospects’, (2004) Vol 15., editor Christophe Sand.
Colleen recently co-edited with Libby Hakaraia, a collection of contemporary Maori art in Te Kahui o Matariki, published by the Pearson Group of Penguin Books. Her own work is held in a number of private and public collections, including the National Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa.
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Selected Exhibitions
Mana Wahine (1995) Tucson, United States
Te Atinga (1997) Bath, England
Haka (1997-98) London, Edinburgh, Belfast, Great Britain
Sisters Yakkananna/Kahui Mareikura (2002) Adelaide, Australia Fusion: Tradition and Discovery (1999) Vancouver, Canada
Kiwa: Pacific Connections (2003) Vancouver, Canada
Manawa (2006) Vancouver, Canada
Maori Art Meets America (2006) San Francisco, United States
MAORI MARKet (2007) Wellington, New Zealand
Mini Masterworks 11 (2008) Vancouver, Canada
South Pacific Festival Exhibition, (2008) Pago Pago, American Samoa
Toi Maori: Small Treasures (2008) San Francisco, United States
About Maori clay work
Colleen is one of five senior members of Kaihanga Uku, the Maori clay workers of New Zealand. Because Maori did not possess a customary ceramic tradition, a popular misconception is that they did not use clay. Recent archaeological discoveries disprove that assumption, while a rich vein of esoteric lore, combined with a customary usage of haematite-rich clay in sacred ceremonies, demonstrates that Maori had a clear understanding of clay properties, including transmogrification by fire.
It is from that customary background that Maori clay workers validate their contemporary use of clay. Maori are genetically linked to Pacific Lapita potters and their 4,000-year old tradition of Pacific ceramics.