Hītori
25 November—15 December
“Inspired by my Māori, Samoan, and European heritage, this still-life series reimagines traditional vanitas and memento mori themes within an Aotearoa context. What began during the 2022 lockdown as a diorama of the 1869 Battle of Te Pōrere evolved into paintings where Māori resistance fighters, constabulary soldiers, and chiefs emerge among Dutch inspired arrangements of food, tableware, and symbolic objects. These works reflect on history’s cycles and our place within them — a reminder that by understanding whakapapa and the past, we can shape new creative forms for the future.” —Zarahn Tūwharetoa Southton
Zarahn Tūwharetoa Southon is an Auckland based painter of Ngāti Tūwharetoa descent. On completion of a Bachelor of Visual Arts in 1998 Southon had several solo shows and in 2005 he was awarded a Contemporary Pacific Art Scholarship, which funded a trip to study in Florence, Italy.
Southon explores allegorical themes, portraiture and still life within his personal take on Dutch genre painting. Also apparent are references to contemporary Classical Realism, Restructured Realism and 19th century Romanticism.
Zarahn Tūwharetoa Southon demonstrates an impressive command of figure drawing and painting techniques in his works. With a subtle yet deep tonal palette, he adds a reminiscent atmosphere to each piece – like capturing a passing moment at a long forgotten party. His characters are full of personality, charm and emotion, to which the viewer can relate.
Featured artwork: Lemon with Fighting Mac
