Kohai Grace

"There are a lot more women learning weaving now, so I don't think it will ever be lost. I feel it is unfinished work unless it is passed on."

Tribal affiliations: Ngati Toa, Ngati Porou, Te Atiawa, Ngati Raukawa

Kohai Grace began weaving at the Wellington Arts Centre in 1986. In 1990 she was commissioned by the National Library of New Zealand to produce tukutuku (woven panels) for the Nga Kupe Korero exhibition which toured the country and focused on issues surrounding the Treaty of Waitangi, 150 years after its signing.

In her work as a weaver, Kohai believes it is vitally important to hold onto traditional knowledge as a way of sustaining culture, meanwhile experimenting with innovative ideas and approaches.

Kohai enjoys using natural materials, especially muka (flax fibre), which inspire her to work creatively. In her artworks, she often mixes contemporary materials such as copper wire with the natural dyed flax fibre. Kohai enjoys the way that weavers learn from one another, getting inspired by the techniques, patterns and colours they have used in their artworks.

Kohai is currently a tutor at Te Wananga o Raukawa in Otaki and lives in Porirua city. She was part of the curatorial team and an exhibiting artist for Toi Maori's exhibition 'Te Aho Mutunga Kore , The Eternal Thread' which opened in Porirua in 2004 before touring to the USA during 2005 - 2006.

Kohai Grace is a licensed user of toi iho™ , a registered trade mark used to promote and sell authentic, quality Maori arts and crafts.

Links

Kohai Grace Artist Profile on the toi iho™ website.

Kohai is an exhibiting artist in 'Toi Maori: The Eternal Thread' exhibition at the Burke Museum in Seattle, Washington, USA.

Read more about 'Toi Maori: The Eternal Thread' international touring exhibition of Maori weaving.

Kohai Grace profile and artwork display on Te Kete Ipurangi website.