Queen with moko portrait draws complaints
BY JONATHON HOWE
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A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II with a traditional Maori tattoo has raised the ire of Palmerston North residents who believe the image is insulting to both Maori and the Queen.
The print, at the Downtown Art & Framing store, features a young Queen Elizabeth with a moko on her chin and lips.
The date of the Treaty of Waitangi signing appears in Roman numerals next to the monarch.
Palmerston North Maori warden Nola Te Papa, of Tuhoe, said she was shocked when she first walked past the print on Tuesday.
"I shouted: 'what an insult to the Queen'. To sell that for $500 – no way. He needs to get that wiped.
"I love the Queen. People don't like her because of what's gone on in the past, but it's not her fault."
Resisting the urge to kick the print, Miss Te Papa walked into the store and gave the owner a piece of her mind.
"Those are only worn in Tuhoe by people in the chief's bloodline," she said.
"These artists are getting too carried away with the Maori moko, that's abusive. They are just printing it anywhere."
The print was a breach of tikanga (Maori custom), which could result in bad luck for family members of the Queen and the artist, Miss Te Papa said.
"It doesn't matter that it's a picture because the Queen is a real person."
Moxons Gemtime Jewellers employee Bev Blackwell said it was an insult to Maori culture and the Queen.
"I think it's disgusting and offensive. It should be destroyed and taken away."
Paeroa artist Barry Ross Smith, who created the artwork last year, said it was not intended as an attack on anyone.
"It was a way to show as a country that we have self determination from England.
"We actually built an entirely new race by signing the treaty, so the Queen of that new race would need a moko."
Mr Smith also did a self portrait in which he has a full facial moko – a statement about the merger of two equal cultures.
He said the portrait of the Queen was a celebration, and the response had been overwhelmingly positive.
Mr Smith had received negative emails about the print, but they were mostly from people with separatist beliefs.
Downtown Art & Framing store manager Cameron Autrobus said at least one copy of the print has been sold. "To be honest, the whole time we've had it we've only had two complaints. If you don't like it, then don't buy it."
- © Fairfax NZ News
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I agree with Hawaiian #117. There is so much appropriation of Maori designs these days, and so many Pakeha artists who miss the mark on understanding what spiritual ideas lie behind Maori visual culture. But this is not confined to Aotearoa by any means. Ta moko is beautiful, but in this context I believe it is used wrongly. I can see where Barry Ross Smith is coming from, but he approached this in the wrong way.
Art is meant to be thought provoking, get over it.
This is not good art, it is actually disrepectfull of our head of state, I'll bet you dont have or didn't even bother to obtain H.M permission for this. I suspect it is a publicity stunt to sell more of your work, some of which is very good--why do it?
This picture is a disgrace, People don't know the meaning of Polynesian tattoo's, even in hawaii, people are getting kakau for any reason, even if they don't have a reason, People need to understand the meaning behind a kakau(tattoo) the significance of it, and when it is appropriate to use it or put it on your body, ths was a very important part of polynesian culture, and if you can't respect that, then something is really wrong with you as a human being if you can't respect someone else's culture.
We are not a multi cultural society because the majority of Europeans in New Zealand have thrown their culture and their heritage away.
As Europeans we have a terrible tendency to discard anything which we consider to be outdated or lacking in value.
We have long since abandoned many traditions and other aspects of our culture, heritage and ancestory due to under-valueing them.
It is actually a really beautiful painting and subsequently a lovely print. You can purchase a print of it in 3 different sizes and 3 different medias - canvas, frame mount or on Art paper - from the artists website. If nothing else it certainly creates interesting conversation.
What's the fuss about? I have a painting by Barry Ross Smith. In the background is the Queens coat of arms, in the foreground is the Queen straddling a coronation (look alike) chair. The picture shows the Queen as she looked a few years ago (about 70 odd), totally stark naked. I think he's even given her a brazilian, all tastefully done, of course.
What! you don't even like the idea of it!
Because she's naked and over 70? or because its the Queen?
Well get over it! Either art is acceptable and anything goes, or there is a dividing line between art and decency. Using property that belongs to someone else - the moko - and applying it to a rendering of somebody -the Queen- is not art, its outright theft. Theft of the image of the Queen, and the rights (who and how the moko can be applied) of another group (in this case Maori).
And no I don't actually have a picture by this thief calling himself an artist, I just needed you to get a picture in your own head - PC be damned - decency applies!!.
Oh PLEASE wont someone think of the Tamariki!!!
Meh, it's an average painting of an over-rated head of a long discredited instition. The moko is it's only redeeming feature.
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Im a maori myself and I think its beautiful, could he have gona about it a different way? yes! but he didnt and thats hes choice to make. I dont find it offence its very interesting a good conversation starter to say the least. AMAZING