Pūtātara: Revolutions in Māori Art

Revolution

With a new wave of Māori artists going international, we reflect on their success and the conversations that are shaping the role of museums and galleries today -- and whether the future needs them. Image by Ben Stewart To see more photos from the series, visit the RNZ website here [https://www.rnz.co.nz/life/culture/putatara-revolutions-in-maori-art] and read more in the Life section here [https://www.rnz.co.nz/life/culture/how-a-weekend-wananga-kickstarted-the-maori-art-revolution] Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details [https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/putatara-revolutions-in-maori-art?share=82731858-19c8-41b9-8ae7-f20ae4371d03]

The Reimagining

We return to The Met in 2025 for the opening of its new Oceania Gallery. It had promised to be a reimagining. 40 years on, just how much has changed? Turns out reimagination is in a small town upstate. Photograph by Taylor Galmiche Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details [https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/putatara-revolutions-in-maori-art?share=ff35d7b7-04ea-44e8-98a5-cfcc21956aba]

Bridging the Gap

By the time the '90s came, much of the previous decade's activism was starting to bear fruit. A new generation of artists had emerged with some provocative questions. Image courtesy of Buck Nin's whānau and Te Wānaga o Aotearoa. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details [https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/putatara-revolutions-in-maori-art?share=7b69a248-3310-4e41-977b-e7dcf5d748c9]

Keeping Our Taonga Warm

After touring the U.S., Te Māori came home. It was a hit. It also sparked significant change in the way museums operated in Aotearoa, with ramifications still felt today. We meet a woman who led that charge. Image courtesy of Te Manawa Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details [https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/putatara-revolutions-in-maori-art?share=6a35fb58-93c5-422c-b237-41745d485d7d]

Home and Away

We travel to New York, 1984, at the opening of Te Māori at the Met. Considered a landmark exhibition, it was met with widespread celebration -- but there were criticisms too. Image courtesy of John Miller To see more photos from the series, visit the RNZ website here [https://www.rnz.co.nz/life/culture/putatara-revolutions-in-maori-art] and read more in the Life section here [https://www.rnz.co.nz/life/culture/how-a-weekend-wananga-kickstarted-the-maori-art-revolution] Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details [https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/putatara-revolutions-in-maori-art?share=580f3083-86a2-47e3-a455-3bcdc8edbe59]