Title: Kōwhai
Year: 2018
Length: 01:35
Credits: Performed and Edited by Aydriannah Tuiali’i
Kōwhai emerged from an exploration of the relationship – whakawhanaungatanga – between moving image, kapa haka and waiata. Kōwhai parallels the immersive experience of my ongoing commitment to learning Te Reo Māori, exemplifying the creation of Te Ao Māori – from nothing to something – passed down through generations via ngā momo kōrero or oral storytelling.
Thematic tags: Performance, narrative, body, abstraction, new media, technology, sound, spirituality, indigenous methodologies.
Aydriannah Tuiali’i is a moving image and installation artist of Ngāpuhi and Samoan (Ngāti Hāmoa) descent. She is a recent graduate of Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makaurau (AUT), receiving a Bachelor of Visual Art majoring in Sculpture with a minor in Interaction and UX Design in 2016, and a Bachelor of Art and Design with First Class Honours in 2018. Aydriannah’s debut as a Set Designer was designing the set and visuals for the show Maumahara Girlie, created by Mya Morrison-Middleton and produced by Vanessa Crofskey. Maumahara Girlie won Outstanding Emerging Company at the Auckland Theatre Awards in 2018. She also recently designed the set for Ngā Puke, directed by Cian Elyse White in July 2019. Since graduating Aydriannah has been actively involved in many projects including: -Delivering a 3-day rangatahi filmmaking workshop in Samoa as part of Through Our Lens, Māoriland Charitable Trust. -Facilitating rangatahi filmmaking workshops across Aotearoa with Māoriland as part of the E Tū Whānau Filmmaking Challenge. -Co-curating the Māoriland Rangatahi Film Festival Programme as a member of Ngā Pakiaka – a committee of rangatahi filmmakers. -Screening her moving image artwork Kōwhai as part of: Māoriland Film Festival 2019 Wairoa Māori Film Festival 2019 Ngā Tohu o Uenuku (Mangere Art Centre) Matariki Exhibition He Toa! He Wahine! 2018 The Glaistor Ennor Postgraduate Awards 2018 at Sanderson Contemporary Gallery. Arts Out East 2018 at Te Tahawai Marae, Edgewater College. CIRCUIT Artist Film and Video Aotearoa’s Mason’s Screen Project in Wellington, 2018. Aside from designing the set for Ngā Puke, Aydriannah is currently working as a Freelance Video Editor at Whakaata Māori (Māori Television), while studying Te Reo Māori online through Te Wānanga o Raukawa. She hopes to develop a new artwork by the end of the year.