Exotic Native. Immigrants' Portrait

Exotic Native. Immigrants' Portrait , 2006-2026 Bronze 1000 mm cube New Zealand’s Rewarewa is more closely related to the South African Protea than to many other native species, a connection traced back to Gondwana, the ancient supercontinent that once joined these distant lands. This unlikely kinship informs the idea of the “exotic native”, something both deeply rooted and geographically displaced. “As an immigrant to New Zealand, I identify with the idea of the ‘exotic native’. My sculptural practice focuses on drawing attention to New Zealand’s unique forests. I am guided by an intuitive response to forms found in the bush, using them to explore parallels between natural cycles and the human condition.”