To be at home: Salome Tanuvasa

Available Monday 20 February to Friday 5 May

To be at home is a new, site-specific installation by artist Salome Tanuvasa, comprising a series of banners made from new and recycled fabric. The title of her installation acknowledges the place name Heretaunga, which originated from a mooring for canoes and combines the kupu ‘here’, "to tie up", and ‘taunga’, “to be at home”. Tanuvasa explores the breadth of feelings held within this phrase, which might encompass being nourished, at ease, or a sense of familiarity and belonging. Certain shapes, colours and motifs recur across Tanuvasa’s art practice, responding to her immediate environment, which sometimes includes her parent’s garden in Panmure, East Auckland. 

Create a symbol of your own home (whare) | Year 1 – 4 
Ākonga will discuss what whare means to them in terms of physiological needs, safety, belonging, aroha, and identity. They will describe their whare to each other and discuss their favourite activities/objects at home. They will then make a small pillow with fabric, fill it up and draw one object/item from their conversation on their pillow.

Creating garden wish-flags | Year 5 - 6
Ākonga will discuss what home means to them in terms of physiological needs, safety, belonging, aroha, and identity. Then, they will discuss why fruit and vegetables are healthy and, in groups, will plan their dream garden. Using fabric, they will make a flag to carry their wishes and hopes for their garden, then connect all the flags to create a collective work to hang in their school garden.

Textiles and repurposing fabrics to make an artwork | Year 7 - 13
Ākonga are asked to bring an item of used, unwanted clothing from home. We will discuss why you would use materials from within your environment. Ākonga are encouraged to think about minimising waste and to be creative. We also discuss the fast fashion industry and how it’s important not to contribute to this problem. Ākonga will repurpose clothes to make a textile banner. They will draw symbols and learn about hand-stitching their cut-out symbols on another fabric.

Key themes: Creativity, identity, belonging, textile, home (whare), whānau, symbol, wish, environment, fast fashion, recycle.

Primary, Intermediate, Secondary: Year 1 - 13
Cost: Free
Duration: 75 - 90 minutes
Subject areas: Visual Arts, English, Technology, Social sciences, Science, Health and Physical Education