Puke Ariki museum in New Plymouth, New Zealand, is hosting TUKU: Open Studio | Emerging Māori Artists, a collaborative project where senior artist Wharehoka Smith mentors early-career artists Jodie Tipa and Dwayne Duthie in creating eight manaia (spiritual guardian figures) in a public studio setting. Running from today through 12 July, the open studio prepares the museum's Temporary Gallery for the upcoming Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Award exhibition, which opens on 25 July and features 40 tūpuna portraits. Visitors can watch the artists at work, engage with their creative process, and participate in free public events including workshops and talks.
This initiative matters because it reimagines the traditional exhibition model by prioritizing process over product, offering rare public access to the collaborative and experimental stages of art-making. By centering Māori cultural concepts and mentorship, TUKU supports emerging Māori artists while deepening community connections to the portraiture exhibition that follows. It also highlights Puke Ariki's role as an innovative cultural institution that blends museum, library, and community engagement in Taranaki.