ORO: an exhibition by Louise Potiki Bryant

Kei a te Pō te tīmatanga o te waiatatanga mai a te Atua. Ko te Ao, ko te Ao Mārama, ko te Ao Turoa.

It was in the night that the gods sang the world into existence. From the world of light, into the world of music.

Oro explores the resonance of sound:

Sounds as tohu

Sounds of words that flow from our tongues 

Sounds that move through the body and sounds that move us to feel, to ponder, to pause

Sounds that form stories passed down through waiata, moteatea and karakia

Sounds that originate from and connect us to our whakapapa 

Oro (meaning to resound, echo or resonate) shows works by choreographer / video artist Louise Potiki Bryant, in collaboration with kaiwaiata / taoka puoro player Ariana Tikao and composer Paddy Free. Te Taki o te Ua / The Sound of Rain is a video installation weaving dance, waiata, taoka puoro, animation and video in a work addressing the impacts of climate change in the takiwā of Kāi Tahu, Te Waipounamu. 

The exhibition is made up of three moving image works; Waikohu / Mist, Pakapaka / Drought and Awha / Storm.

Waikohu / Mist is an expression of the water cycle in balance and honours the emergence of freshwater as a consequence of the separation of Rakinui and Papatūānuku.

Pakapaka / Drought addresses the projected increased frequency and intensity of drought in some takiwā.

Āwhā / Storm tackles the projected increase in intensity and frequency of storms and flooding as a consequence of climate change.

Te Taki o te Ua / The Sound of Rain video installation was made with the support of Creative New Zealand and Te Taki o te Ua / The Sound of Rain performance was made with the support of Track Zero - Arts Inspiring Climate Action.