Description
Tuffs’ fresh lasercuts—Ma’ohi Armada Pūoro Tasi, Ma’ohi Armada Pūoro Rua and Ma’ohi Armada Kōauau Toru—first appeared in his mesmerising architectural projection artwork for the NZ Festival at Te Papa in 2012. The work was of a scale not seen in Aotearoa before, canvassing the entire exterior walls of Te Papa.
Part of Tuffery’s practice is researching early contact material and history, which has taken him to museums and galleries around the world. The spaceship images used in the Te Papa projection were created as a result of research at Te Papa, where he came across over 200 year old pūoro and kōauau, traditional Māori flutes. He even had renown Maori Musician, Horomona Horo bring them to life and play them, a unique and lifetime experience to hear that raw sound.
The First Contact Series follows Tuffery’s specific interest in Captain James Cook—Cookie as he calls him and Tupaia, a meeting of two intellectuals from opposite sides of the world, and a cast of characters who travelled with him on epic trips around the Pacific.
Due to screen variances the colours shown in these images may not be absolutely accurate.
