Tahitian mourning costume by Lisa Reihana. Photo: Kellan MacLeod. Costume: Bob Buck, Lisa Reihana
When multidisciplinary artist Lisa Reihana was named an Arts Foundation laureate this year, she was praised for her “culturally rich meditations on Māori in modern times”. But for her next work, she’s going back in time and spreading out across the pacific. Tai Whetuki: House of Death is a video work for next year’s Auckland Arts Festival and its centerpiece is an imposing eight foot tall traditional costume.
Lisa Reihana tells Justin Gregory she wants to use it to talk about the some of the tough parts of the past.
