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TE RONGO KIRKWOOD: THE SEER, THE SEEN, THE SEEING
TE RONGO KIRKWOOD: THE SEER, THE SEEN, THE SEEING
Documentary, Short, Documentary, Art, Glass
United States
2024
Runtime, min
21
The Corning Museum of Glass (CMoG) announced the selection of mixed-media artist Te Rongo Kirkwood (b. 1973, Auckland, New Zealand) as the recipient of the 38th Rakow Commission. The Museum’s Rakow Commission, in its 38th year, supports the creation of a new work in glass by an artist who pushes the boundaries of the material and who is not yet represented in CMoG’s permanent collection. The annual award was first presented in 1986, and recipients have ranged from emerging to established artists. The Seer, the Seen, the Seeing is a multi-dimensional installation that represents the artist’s most personal series in glass to date. Drawing from Māori weaving practices, Kirkwood has created a kākahu (cloak) made of glass and woven fibers, alongside a Puru hau (sacred ritual vessel) in blown glass. These two works are central symbolism to a film featuring Kirkwood and her father, set against the backdrop of their ancestral lands at Piha beach on New Zealand’s west coast. “I find it difficult to express my internal experience through words, so I turn to art to explore the layers of complexity of being alive, seeing, and perceiving,” said Kirkwood. “Recently, I've been using imagery and film to engage more directly with my work, I want to express nuance and connect on a deeper level. I love how each viewer resonates with art in their own way, bringing their unique lens of perceptions and life experiences.”



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