This article was first published by Stuff.
This video originally appeared as part of Paddy Gower’s weekly show and podcast, The F#$%ing News. Watch or listen to the full interview at the bottom of this story.
Dick Frizzell has revealed he was physically shaking when he painted one of New Zealand’s most provocative artworks - the Four Square Grocer with a Māori moko.
Speaking on The F#$%ing News, Frizzell said he knew the piece, titled Grocer With Moko, would spark strong reactions from the moment he started it.
“I knew it was dynamite when I did it,” he said. “I was trembling so much I could hardly paint it.”
The piece mixes a well-known symbol of Kiwi life - the smiling Four Square man - with facial markings inspired by tā moko. First shown in the 1990s, it quickly became part of a national conversation about culture, identity and artistic freedom.
Frizzell said the work was never meant to mock Māori culture, but to explore how cultures can connect and speak to each other.
“I had this thing that culture flow has to flow both ways,” he explained. “I don’t think I was punching up or punching down - I felt I was just punching across.”
He also said he made a point of not using actual Māori moko designs in the work.
“I created a totally generic moko,” Frizzell said. “No one’s going to say, ‘Oh, you’ve stolen my moko,’ because it’s 100% generic. I worked hard at that.”
Despite the controversy, Frizzell stands by the painting and the discussions it sparked.
“I’m so proud of it,” he said. “I think it created a sort of poignant signal that you could argue about forever.”
Frizzell also reflected on the broader purpose of his art, saying he has never acted with cynicism or provocation for its own sake.
“It’s always been trying to contribute to a discussion about who we are and what we are and where we come from,” he said.
As for advice after a life immersed in New Zealand culture and art, his takeaway was simple: “Just don’t get too clever.”
For more of Paddy’s chat with Dick Frizzell, watch or listen to the full interview in the latest episode of The F#$%ing News.
- Stuff
