Ngā Wai Whaka-ata (Reflecting Waters)

Tena koutou, ko Bronwyn Waipuka-Callander toku ingoa. I am a multidisciplinary creative and contemporary Māori artist, celebrating Matariki and sharing my appretiation for Te Ao Māori.

NGĀ WAI WHAKA-ATA (Relecting Waters) is a collection of sand blasted vintage mirrors. One of the ideas behind the installation is to explore who we are and what we think our true nature is in terms of what (and who) we are choosing to observe or witness. It offers a space and opportunity for self-reflection, and to think deeply about what it really means to ‘remember’ in regards to our past, present and future.

Like the crystal clear waters our ancestors peered into many moons ago, mirrors give us the opportunity to reflect our image back to us. Although, how most of us utilise mirrors today is mainly on a superficial level - a means to simply observe our outer features. But mirrors do have a deeper meaning to them, a meaning that closely connects with the same ideals our ancestors came up with and thought about when they were looking into the pools and mirrors of their time. On a similar vibrational level, mirrors have come to symbolise a portal and a bridge between two worlds, holding that transitional and expansive space where the conscious and unconscious minds are able to converge. Mirrors have evolved to become a powerful and accesible tool for self-reflection, offering perspectives and also opportunities for us to dive deeper into our inner layers - past, present and future. Of course it's all by choice, and whether we want to take that plunge, or simply skim across our outer surfaces, is really up to the individual.

Matariki can mean different things for different people, so for me this year I want to celebrate 'remembering' by moving through self-reflection. Ngā Wai Whaka-ata with its sand blasted mirrors, are not only an opportunity to appreciate story through visual mahi (work), but it is also an invitation for those walking past to pause and perhaps question who it is they think they are. By enticing people to glance into these mirrors (these reflective pools), I am throwing this question out there. What (and who) are we choosing to witness?