Subversion

 What is subversion?

Subversion is a concept when someone or something over-rules or dominates someone or something else. Its purpose is to undermine or overthrows an already established or existing system. In the context of art, subversion aims to fight over an issue or idea/theme. Tracey Tawhiao is an example of an artist who uses subversion in her artworks. 

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Tracey Tawhiao

Tracey Tawhiao is a Maori artist born in New Zealand. The thing that stands out in her work is that she uses newspaper as her medium. Her grandparent's house's walls were covered with newspaper when she had the idea to paint over them to create a brighter environment and paint symbols and images directly to the wall. While she paints over these newspapers with her own idea or design, sometimes she leaves parts of it visible along the edges or certain phrases. These headlines are often negative and therefore capture the readers' attention.

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This artwork by Tracey Tawhiao uses traditional Māori patterns such as the Kuro. Figure-like drawings can be spotted on the left side of the artwork. The main colour of this is red. 

Tracey Tawhiao's Art

Title: Wellblood

Meduim: Newspaper and acrylic on canvas

Date: 2020

Artist: Tracey Tawhiao

Tracery Tawhiao's artwork, titled 'Wellblood' was created in 2020 on newspaper and the acrylic on canvas. Fishes  and symbols have been drawn on top of the newspaper. On the top right side there is the word 'inside' visible; the text and colour implying that it is form a newpaper. Near the middle is also an image of a kiwi, which can also be assumed that it's from the same newspaper. Newspaper was a western thing that was introduced to New Zealand by the Europeans. The work painted on top represents traditional Maori style symbols. For example: the use of red, white and black (traditional Maori colours), fish (represents the importance fishing had to Maoris and their relationship to Tangaroa, the Maori god of the sea), and using traditional patterns such as kuro. The idea of the artwork is also similar to Maori Kowhaiwhai- traditional Maori patterns used for decreative art which focuses on the three colours - red, white and black - and repeatative patterns. The way the art has been layed out uses a grid-like form, all the symbols parallel to each other. Also, the direction that the fish are facing are only either left or right. Underneth the top coat/layer of the art lies Maori text. Before the Europeans came to New Zealand, Te Reo Maori was only a verbal language, but was later turned into a written language using the roman/latin alphabet (same as English). From my perspective, INSIDE and kiwi can be a way of saying how both western and Maori culture are apart of NZ, hence the two things from the newspaper: INSIDE (within) kiwi (NZ). 

How Subversion Is Shown

Tawhiao used this artwork to demonstrate how Aotearoa has been subverted. Painting traditional Maori art and history onto the newspaper shows how the Maoris and people have had their rights and land taken away from them by the Europeans. Present day, much of their original land have been sold off to Pakeha. Around only 4.8% of New Zealand's land is still owned by Maori. This is a clear example of how Aotearoa had been colonised and how the Maori's suffered a loss. If we were to reverse this secario - say that it was European art drawn overtop Maori stuff - then it shows that there's a dominat culture or colony over them, yet they're still doing their best to connect with their history and ansetors; determained to not lose their roots.