Israel Tangaroa Birch, Rae ki te Rae - Game Recognise Game (2023)
The reopening of Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery marked a significant milestone for Whanganui's cultural landscape, with Kanapa ki Runga - Kanapa ki Raro serving as one of its major inaugural exhibitions. Running from 14 June to 21 September 2025, the exhibition brought together the work of 14 established and emerging Māori artists, exploring the Puanga season through themes of remembrance, renewal and connection. Translating as "the stars above, the shimmering waters below," the exhibition reflected the relationship between the celestial and earthly realms, encouraging visitors to contemplate the connections between ancestors, the natural world and future generations.
Among the exhibited artists were Israel Tangaroa Birch and Professor Robert Jahnke, whose practices have made significant contributions to contemporary Māori art in Aotearoa. Birch transforms industrial steel into luminous carved and painted surfaces that shift with changing light, movement and shadow. Inspired by his ancestral connection to Tangaroa, atua of the ocean, his works evoke the ever-changing qualities of water while exploring the balance between Tūmatauenga, atua of war, and Rongo, atua of peace. Through these dynamic surfaces, Birch addresses contemporary social and political issues while offering spaces for reflection and healing. Jahnke's conceptual practice similarly investigates Māori identity, history and cultural resilience, reinforcing his longstanding influence as both an artist and educator.
Originally opened in 1919, the Sarjeant Gallery has long been recognised as one of New Zealand's most significant regional art museums. Following an extensive restoration, earthquake strengthening programme and the addition of the new Te Pātaka o Tā Te Atawhai Archie John Taiaroa wing, Te Whare o Rehua reopened in November 2024. Kanapa ki Runga - Kanapa ki Raro reflected the gallery's renewed commitment to celebrating Māori artistic excellence, providing a powerful opening chapter in the institution's next century as a place where history, culture and contemporary creativity come together.
