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Join us Tagata Moana Trust and Fibre Gallery for the opening of 'Coral Route' by Nina Oberg Humphries. FREE
ALL WELCOME
Artist Statement:
The Pacific, once connected by vaka and trade winds, now stretches across tangled lines of influence—missionary fervour, Hollywood fantasies, and the weight of global tourism. Coral Route is a journey through these layers, an excavation of what it means to craft an identity in the diaspora, where Cook Islands heritage navigates the tides of modernity.
Here, the Pacific is both a stage and a memory. Missionaries sought to anchor souls to their scriptures, reshaping carvings of gods into symbols of penance. Hollywood reframed these stories, projecting its gaze over our lagoons, while tourism scripts its glossy promises of paradise.
But in this shifting expanse, there is resilience. The hands that carved god staffs still move, the voices that sang sacred songs still echo. Coral Route is an unfolding map—of loss and reclamation, of what we carry forward and leave behind. It asks: How do we, the children of voyagers, reweave a cultural tapestry stretched between shores?
Each piece is a fragment, a question, a longing—a reflection of the Pacific as it was, as it is, and as it could be. The coral, though delicate, remains alive. So too, do we.
About Nina:
Nina Oberg Humphries is a dynamic multimedia artist based in Ōtautahi, whose work bridges the rich cultural legacy of Cook Islands artefacts, performance, and tradition with the vibrant, ever-evolving narratives of popular culture. A trailblazer in the arts and community, Nina was recognised as Canterbury University’s Macmillan Brown Artist in Residence and awarded the prestigious Creative New Zealand Mana Moana Leadership Scholarship in 2020.
In 2023 Nina was a community medalist for New Zelander of the year for her work as the Co-founder and Director of Tagata Moana Trust, Nina leads an innovative non-profit dedicated to advancing STEAM pathways through the lens of Pacific arts, language, and culture, empowering communities and inspiring the next generation of Pacific creatives.
Her thought-provoking work has captivated audiences in renowned spaces, including Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, Bergman Gallery, Enjoy Contemporary Art Space, and The Physics Room, solidifying her place as a vital voice in contemporary Pacific art.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Tagata Moana Trust, Christchurch, New Zealand
