As part of this year’s annual spring exhibition, an opening ceremony was held last night at He Waka Tuia.
Iti’s three paintings will feature alongside 50 local artworks which are being judged by former Southlander Josh McMillian as part of the museum’s competition.
Iti believed art was a form of expression and had seen some of the artworks on display.
"Art is a good medium for people to share their stories, their whakapapa — how they see, think, view different things, and how they preserve them."
Iti was exposed to art as a child and remembers drawing comic strips in the 1950s.
However, he did not start as a professional artist until 30 years ago.
"I am a late starter with art, and am finding my way around using art as a platform to provoke people, and provoke ourselves."
One of his art pieces, To Billy Apple, was dedicated to his old friend who spent a lot of time in his hometown village, Rūātoki.
It was part of his exhibition, "I Will Not Speak Māori", which was featured in Wellington last month as part of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, and reflected his life as an activist.
The art work hinted at his childhood experiences at school and he hoped it would provoke emotions in the viewers.
His other works, Define Tomorrow and Anamata (our future), focused on the topics of misinformation centred on tribal representations, and his questions for the future.
"I made these paintings over the last two to three years during lockdown, but it was about 50 to 60 years of my ideas which had accumulated over the years."
He Waka Tuia manager Sarah Brown said it was an honour.
"We are stoked and really excited.
"Having guest artist Tame Iti here for the inaugural exhibition at the museum is amazing."
The exhibition will be opened to the public at 11am today.
