Shannon Te Ao, 'Ia rā, ia rā (rere runga, rere raro) - Everyday (I fly high, I fly low)', 2021, three channel video with sound (still). Courtesy of the artist and Coastal Signs.
Photo Credit
Presented through a unique partnership between Te Tuhi, The Dowse Art Museum and the Office for Contemporary Art Aotearoa (OCAA), Shannon Te Ao’s work Ia rā, ia rā (rere runga, rere raro) - Everyday (I fly high, I fly low) represents Aotearoa New Zealand’s contribution to the 15th Gwangju Biennale Pavilion (2024).
This three channel video installation is part of the Gwangju Biennale Pavilion, taking place alongside the Biennale’s curated exhibition, Pansori, a soundscape of the 21st century, by artistic director Nicolas Bourriard.
Te Ao’s moving image work features the tīwakawaka (fantail) as the protagonist. This small bird endemic to Aotearoa, is linked to Māori narratives associated with the concepts of birth and death; many stories tie it to the atua (gods), particularly to Māui.
The video captures two young men in motion. Alongside the synchronized thirty-six still images contained within this installation, a pao (song) composed and performed by Kurt Komene supplies the soundtrack. Komene’s lyrics, like the flowing actions of the performers, follow the tīwakawaka’s flight path.
Originally commissioned by the Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art, this new iteration of Ia rā, ia rā (rere runga, rere raro) - Everyday (I fly high, I fly low), curated by Karl Chitham, allows the audience to immerse themselves within the imagery and soundscape.
Te Tuhi, The Dowse and OCAA would like to acknowledge Jenny and Andrew Smith, Jo and John Gow, Ambassador Dawn Bennet and the New Zealand Embassy team in Seoul, and the Gwangju Biennale Foundation for their generous support for this project.
Presented through a unique partnership between Te Tuhi, The Dowse Art Museum and the Office for Contemporary Art Aotearoa (OCAA), Shannon Te Ao’s work Ia rā, ia rā (rere runga, rere raro) - Everyday (I fly high, I fly low) represents Aotearoa New Zealand’s contribution to the 15th Gwangju Biennale Pavilion (2024).
This three channel video installation is part of the Gwangju Biennale Pavilion, taking place alongside the Biennale’s curated exhibition, Pansori, a soundscape of the 21st century, by artistic director Nicolas Bourriard.
Te Ao’s moving image work features the tīwakawaka (fantail) as the protagonist. This small bird endemic to Aotearoa, is linked to Māori narratives associated with the concepts of birth and death; many stories tie it to the atua (gods), particularly to Māui.
The video captures two young men in motion. Alongside the synchronized thirty-six still images contained within this installation, a pao (song) composed and performed by Kurt Komene supplies the soundtrack. Komene’s lyrics, like the flowing actions of the performers, follow the tīwakawaka’s flight path.
Originally commissioned by the Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art, this new iteration of Ia rā, ia rā (rere runga, rere raro) - Everyday (I fly high, I fly low), curated by Karl Chitham, allows the audience to immerse themselves within the imagery and soundscape.
Te Tuhi, The Dowse and OCAA would like to acknowledge Jenny and Andrew Smith, Jo and John Gow, Ambassador Dawn Bennet and the New Zealand Embassy team in Seoul, and the Gwangju Biennale Foundation for their generous support for this project.