'Ka Tangi Te Kākā' (The Kākā is calling) is an artwork by Sofia Minson made in 2015. She created it on a fabric medium. The artwork is a Kākā bird in the centre on a dark black background with koru and traditional patterns over the bird. The Kākā is perched on a tree branch with a few fern-like leaves hanging below it. It also had tassels hanging from the bottom of the canvas. There is a mandala near the bird's heart.
Subversion:
I don't think that subversion in shown in this artwork because it only focuses on the Maori culture. There isn't anything such as hidden western or European culture like Tracey Tawhiao's artworks do. According to the New Zealand Artwork website, Minson made this piece to show new beginnings. The original artwork alludes to Pacific tapa cloth and has elements of a garment that you could wear similar to a Maori feather cloak.
Her Ideas:
Both the Kākā and koru are part of traditional Māori culture. By using these symbols, she can represent her Māori heritage and keep the culture alive until the present day. Adding the koru inside the Kākā was a good use of space and adds a pretty pattern throughout the artwork.
Tracey Tawhiao:
While Sofia Minson's work has a clear subject, Tracey Tawhioa has multiple drawings marked out in a grid formation. Tawhiao uses patterns and traditional art in her artworks, and Sofia Minson goes for more of a realistic style. Both of them base their artworks on traditional Maori concepts.
Kia Ora Lauren,
ReplyDeleteYou've described Minson's 'Ka tangi te kākā,' "The Kaka is Calling" and provide a thoughtful opinion about why it is not subversion in the Tawhiao manner. It's quite a hopeful work, one that acknowledges symbolic spiritual connections for Māori, especially. A similar work with the same Kaka titled "The Heart of the Kaka" is painted with floral wallpaper design that appears colonial. Does this work's background alter your thinking about subversion?