Manawa—Pacific Heartbeat

A full-colour book titled Manawa—Pacific Heartbeat by Spirit Wrestler Gallery curators Nigel Reading and Gary Wyatt documenting the exhibition and the continuing connections between the Māori of New Zealand and the First Nations people of the Pacific Northwest Coast.

Alongside each work of art is a statement by the artist, which provides insight into the work’s origins, ancestry and genealogy. Also providing context for the art is an introduction by master Māori painter, curator and writer Darcy Nicholas, which describes the history of New Zealand’s contemporary indigenous art movement. An essay by the Spirit Wrestler Gallery highlights the importance of cross-cultural projects and argues that cultural fusion has become the single greatest influence on the evolution of aboriginal art and culture worldwide.

Beautifully designed and produced, Manawa is a must-have for lovers of aboriginal art as well as those interested in cross-cultural exchange.

• Written by Nigel Reading and Gary Wyatt
• Introduction by Darcy Nicholas
• Edited by Lucy Kenwood
• Photographs by Kenji Nagai
• Design by Peter Cocking
• Published in Canada by Douglas & McIntyre
• Published in the U.S. by University of Washington Press
• Published in New Zealand by Reed Publishing

View the Manawa—Pacific Heartbeat exhibition.