Iti

Overview

Suite have opened their new gallery at 241 Cuba Street with a powerful exhibition of people and place. The high profile Tuhoe Maori figure Tame Iti has teamed up with Wellington-based photographer Birgit Krippner in creating Iti – a collaboration of works in relation to the Tuhoe people and their spiritual land Te Urewera.

Originally from Austria, Krippner is based in Wellington and has been recognized on both an international and national level. Capturing images in natural light only, her work has been exhibited in galleries including New York, Berlin and Copenhagen. In this exhibition Krippner has utilized the very low light in capturing her images. The setting is casual - Tame Iti is reading a book and drinking out of a wine glass. In others he confronts the camera with his full face tattoos, staring right at the lens. The largest and most intimate of these shots is of Iti bathing in a shallow pool of water unclothed.

Moving to the right side of the gallery are the paintings of Tame Iti’s latest work since his release from prison. Portraying his spiritual land - a key figure in all his pieces -Iti focuses on the dark past and promising future for the Tuhoe people.

This engaging collaboration of two artists will be on display until March 7. Krippner will be exhibiting her Iti photographs at the Harvey Milk Photographic Center in San Francisco in April later this year.

Image by Birgit Krippner