Thursday, 22 December 2011

If you are an artist, weaver or designer you will be interested in this!

A pattern of your creation may be used in tukutuku panels that will enhance the New Zealand wall in the United Nations Headquarters General Assembly building in New York. You are invited to submit a pattern for consideration. If your pattern is chosen, it may either appear in part or whole, in one of 25 pairs of tukutuku panels being created for permanent display on one of the most famous buildings in the world.

Background

As a founding member of the United Nations (UN), New Zealand’s gift of a rimu wall, integrated into the structure of the UN Headquarters in New York, was made when the original buildings were built between 1950 and 1952.[1]

During visits to the UN in 2010, the Minister of Māori Affairs identified an opportunity to enhance the New Zealand wall to make it more readily identifiable with New Zealand. The rimu wall is located in one of the most prominent locations in the UN General Assembly building.

Snapshot of the Tukutuku Panels Project

Fifty tukutuku panels (or 25 pairs of panels) will be made from selected patterns that have been chosen on the basis that they are identifiably from Aotearoa – New Zealand: traditionally inspired; of a contemporary/abstract nature; and, have a clearly articulated statement of the design concept.

The panels will be made by Te Rōpu Raranga Whatu o Aotearoa/ Māori Weavers of New Zealand.

The Jack Lawless Whānau Trust will lead the design and construction of the panels. The Trust is associated with master weavers with international reputation and has been commissioned to complete a variety of projects, in New Zealand and overseas, including a presentation at the Māori Art Meets America exhibition in San Francisco.

It is possible that each pair of panels may exhibit a different pattern and therefore the potential is for a maximum of 25 different patterns from 25 different creators.

A successful submitter of a pattern will be required to sign a license agreement to allow the design to be used in an unrestricted way to complete the panels. Successful submitters will not receive payment for their pattern, if selected.

The stages of the project involve:

• harvesting natural resource materials;
• managing public invitation for contributors to the design of the tukutuku patterns;
• confirming the design of the tukutuku patterns and their use in panels;
• confirming the resources, materials, expertise and process for constructing panels;
• constructing panels;
• confirming installation protocols;
• shipping panels to New York and install.

The Minister of Māori Affairs will approve the final tukutuku panel designs in consultation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Criteria for proposed patterns

Te Puni Kōkiri developed the selection criteria in consultation with the Jack Lawless Whānau Trust. A proposed pattern:

1. will need to be a traditional pattern;
2. must be identifiably Māori;
3. can also be a contemporary take on traditional pattern;
4. can be of an abstract nature;
5. must meet specific dimensions [2,000mm x 900mm];
6. will need to be suitable for the technique used by the provider;
7. must be accompanied by a statement supporting their design concept; and
8. design should be submitted in Excel spreadsheet format.

Conditions of entry

If you submit an entry, you acknowledge and accept that:

• Te Puni Kōkiri will not cover any of the costs associated with developing the proposed patterns;
• if your design is selected, the copyright of the proposed patterns will rest with you as the creator of the pattern, but you will be required to sign a licence agreement with Te Puni Kōkiri to allow the design to be used in an unrestricted way to complete the panels;
• you will not receive any financial or commercial gain from the process; and
• public contributions will be acknowledged in the Te Puni Kōkiri publication.

If you have any questions you can email tukutuku@tpk.govt.nz

Download this Pānui and Entry Form [PDF, 264KB]

RETURN THE COMPLETED ENTRY FORM AND YOUR PROPOSAL BY 5PM, WEDNESDAY 1 FEBRUARY 2012 TO tukutuku@tpk.govt.nz

View the press release from the Minister of Māori Affairs

 

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