Maungarongo Te Kawa

Maungarongo Te Kawa is a takatāpui fabric artist, educator, and storyteller. Grounded in te ao Māori, his practice makes old pūrākau newly relevant using brilliant colour, fluid design, and infectious good humour. Following a vibrant career in costume design and fashion, Te Kawa dedicated himself to full-time art-making and teaching. In addition to producing his own elaborate whakapapa quilts, he runs sewing workshops, guiding participants to express their creativity and genealogy through fabric. Te Kawa’s works are held in a wide range of private and public collections, including those of Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, the Dowse Art Museum, and the University of Auckland Waipapa Taumata Rau.