Kohai Grace


Kohai Grace is a New Zealand weaver. Her iwi are Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Porou, Te Āti Awa and Ngāti Raukawa.

Biography

Grace learnt weaving under Kataraina Hetet-Winiata at the Wellington Arts Centre. She also learned under the esteemed Rangi Hetet and Erenora Puketapu-Hetet whilst completing a Bachelor of Design and Art at Te Wānanga o Raukawa. She holds a Masters in Māori Visual Arts from Massey University.
In 2008, she was the de Young Museum's artist-in-residence in San Francisco, which coincided with the event Māori Art Meets America.

Works

Her weaving is based upon customary practice and the use of natural materials. Her work has been included in international exhibitions such as E tū Ake which toured to Musée du quai Branly, Paris and Museo de las Culturas, Mexico City. Her work is also held in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
In 1990, she was commissioned by the National Library of New Zealand to produce tukutuku for the Nga Kupu Korero exhibition which toured the country and focused on issues surrounding the Treaty of Waitangi, 150 years after its signing.
In 2004, she presented the Tui Cloak, a garment made with harakeke and inspired by the white throat feathers of the Tui bird.
In 2007, her garment Wahine o te Pō won awards at Style Pasifika in Auckland in 2007, and was in the New Zealand Fashion Museum exhibition Black in Fashion: Wearing the colour black in New Zealand.

Exhibitions