MEDIA RELEASE
A jewel of an art exhibition is currently on show at Tutere Gallery in Kāpiti, Aotearoa New Zealand.
As the national and global debate about water management continues to heat up a local artist working with district
councils and local iwi brings us face to face with our priorities. In this first NZ art exhibition about the
privitisation of water, environmental jeweller and artist JoAnna Mere questions the values we place upon water and
challenges us to consider anew our role as kaitiaki, earth stewards.
In "Currency - Wai Taonga", Mere has presented an evocative range of contemporary and apocalyptic metalscapes. From
handheld golden ingots through to a wall-sized, watermarked 'banknote'; the artist has used light refraction to
represent air and water in dynamic scenes of windswept mountain lochs, waterfalls, forest streams, estuarine coastlines,
tundra and sky. Hand carved, painted and drawn on salvaged metals including copper, brass, steel, iron, gold and silver;
the artworks review water as a priceless commodity.
Also exhibiting in the show is the stunning paua-shell like cloak " Kāpiti Matariki Korowai". Created by Mere along with
100 local school children, this Creative Communities Scheme funded toi mahi makes a strong visual statement about the
effects of plastic packaging.
Located at 48 Tutere Street, Waikanae Beach (by the café’s), the gallery is open 10am-3pm every Friday, Saturday, Sunday
and also by appointment. The artist is working onsite and will be giving an artist floortalk and open korero at 1pm on
Saturday 19th January 2019, all welcome.
ART EXHIBITION 'CURRENCY - WAI TAONGA'
A stunning collection of metalscapes exploring the values we place upon water.
1st - 20th January 2019 @ Tutere Gallery, 48 Tutere Street, Waikanae Beach.