Māori artist Dr Fiona Pardington will be displaying her photographic exhibition "Te taha o te rangi" (The Edge of the Heavens).
Aigantighe Art Gallery exhibitions curator Isobel Hillman said the gallery was very excited to host the new exhibition.
"We are thrilled to present an opportunity for art enthusiasts in Te Waipounamu [the South
Island] to experience works from one of Aotearoa’s leading photographers.
"While some pieces may have graced the walls of Starkwhite in Tāmaki Makaurau [Auckland], earlier this year, our showcase promises a fresh encounter for visitors.
"The collection brings a nationally significant exhibition to South Canterbury."
During a visit to the South Canterbury Museum in 2023, Pardington was captivated by the dynamic and lifelike quality of the taxidermised native birds.
The now South Canterbury-based artist began focusing on photographing the birds’ heads, treating them like human portraits.
Pardington said this new approach allowed her to delve deeply into her new local surroundings and community after having only relocated to South Canterbury in 2019.
The exhibition title: "Te taha o te rangi" signified the sky and horizon, reflecting the seaward views around Te tihi o maru (Timaru) and the boundless allure of the infinite.
"The edge, rather than the centre appeals to me. The edge is still the centre, and it unwinds forever, whichever distance covered or turn taken," Pardington said.
Birds have always been integral to Pardington’s photography.
For Māori, birds are sources of sustenance, materials for kahu huruhuru (feather cloaks), and messengers between the spiritual and physical worlds.
Ms Hillman said Pardington’s photography quite literally breathed life into the native bird taxidermy specimens.
"It really is a testament to her skill as an artist.
"She revitalises these taxidermy specimens, giving them a dynamic presence that transcends their static form.
"These native birds evoke the symbolic trope Memento mori, encouraging viewers to explore the interplay between nature and artifice, life and death, and the connection between birds and the heavens."
Gallery manager Cara Fitzgerald said she appreciated the opportunity to show the exhibition.
"The Aigantighe Gallery wishes to acknowledge Starkwhite, and to give special thanks to the artist, Dr Fiona Pardington.
"Aigantighe Art Gallery also appreciates the collaborative support of the South Canterbury Museum. We are very fortunate to have a huia taxidermy specimen on display in the exhibition, on loan from the museum."
The exhibition will be open from tomorrow until August 4.
