A group of sculptors have spent nearly ten days carving and sculpting pieces in the Rotorua Sculpture Symposium. Natanahira Te Pona of Ngāpuhi is creating a wood and stone piece for the symposium and wants to see more Māori enter into events such as this.
The Rotorua Sculpture Symposium is a biannual event and it is Te Pona's third time participating.
“We get a lot of artists that come from all over the country, some we have had from overseas but this year they couldn't have any because of complications. It will be good to let other artists around the country know and we try to encourage our whānau that are here.”
This year's theme for the art pieces must reflect 'The Water of Rotorua'.
Te Pona says once finished his piece will have three elements incorporated into it.
“When it actually stands up, it's standing something like eleven feet tall. At the moment it's laying down flat of course...it will be a mixture of Māori versus European”.
Symposium organiser Marc Spijkerbosch says a lot of Māori artists have been a part of the event in the past but he would like to see new Māori talent emerge.
“We've got five shining lights in our Māori artists locally. Iwi Le Comte had to pull out at the last minute- which was a real shame because we would love to have him along again.”
The symposium ends on Sunday.