3 Jun 2020

Christchurch gallery apologises and pulls offensive art

From Morning Report, 8:53 am on 3 June 2020

A Christchurch gallery has apologised and pulled down controversial art after complaints the works appropriated Māori culture.

Yesterday, Windsor Gallery removed Rhonye McIlroy's art, which included a painting of a white woman with a moko kauae, bare breasted, wearing bondage.

A Māori liaison at Ara Institute of Canterbury, Atama Moa, who wears a mataora - a facial moko - says the art was shocking and inappropriate.

He met with the gallery yesterday afternoon, and spoke to our Māori news correspondent Leigh-Marama McLachlan.

Windsor Gallery spokesperson Cameron Taylor says they are grateful for Moa's insight into tikanga Māori.

He said they assumed the artist had created the work responsibly, and took the art down when they realised it was offensive.