Celebrating the legacy of a legend

A touring exhibition provides a rare opportunity for Ōtautahi to see wood, stone and steel sculpture works made by a legend of Aotearoa New Zealand art.

The exhibition celebrates the work of the late esteemed contemporary Māori sculptor Fred Graham (1928–2025, Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, Tainui), who sadly passed away on 9 May this year at age 97.

Fred was honoured at the opening of the exhibition when it was first presented by Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary Gallery in June last year.

Featuring works made between 1965 and 2013, the exhibition showcases eight relief works, or wall-based carvings, and five freestanding sculptures.

Fred Graham: Toi Whakaata / Reflections will be shown at Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū from 31 May to 5 October 2025, with one special addition just for Ōtautahi Christchurch – a major stainless steel sculpture, Rangi me Papa, made by Graham in 1987 and held in the Ara Institute art collection.

A pioneer of the contemporary Māori art movement in the 1960s and 70s, Graham – together with several other artist-educators, including Cliff Whiting and Ralph Hotere – explored how traditional Māori art could be contemporised by drawing from European modernist styles.

“We started to evolve our own form of art as a result of mixing both together,” Graham said. “Because to me, as far as I’m concerned, we should be expressing life as the time we’re living it, because, in turn, it becomes history.” 

While in form Graham’s style is defined by modernist simplicity, his focus on Māori history and pūrākau (storytelling) allowed him to connect with enduring themes in his work. Graham’s love for birds also features prominently.

Courtesy of Te Uru Gallery

“In the old days, because Māori had no written language, the only way that they could express themselves, other than by their voices and tone of their voices, was to carve – and to carve their stories in wood because that was the only material they had. And so, I tended to still use that idea of telling a story using a sculpture.”

The award-winning artist was best known for his large-scale public commissions, and his sculptures can be found around Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and elsewhere in Aotearoa.

In 2017, Graham received Te Tohu Aroha mō Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu Supreme Award at the Creative New Zealand Te Waka Toi Awards. The following year, he received an Arts Foundation Icon Award, Whakamana Hiranga, and in 2024 he was named a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

He also exhibited internationally, most notably at the prestigious Venice Biennale in 2024 as one of five artists invited from Aotearoa, including his son, Brett, who is also an acclaimed artist.

Brett Graham spoke with Hester Rowan, who curated Toi Whakaata / Reflections, about his father’s lasting influence.

“Māori contemporary artists made visible an indigenous landscape that was buried under layers of colonial infrastructure and buildings, and seldom acknowledged. For all of his works, this [was] the first port of call, acknowledging this depth of history. This is his legacy.”

Christchurch Art Gallery curator Felicity Milburn says Toi Whakaata / Reflections offers a rare opportunity to see a dynamic encapsulation of Fred’s career.

“These works are beautiful, evocative and incredibly skilful. Fred made an enormous contribution to the art of this country, and we’re very lucky to be able to show so much of his work here.”

Fred Graham: Toi Whakaata / Reflections opens on Saturday 31 May with an introductory talk at 11am in the auditorium. Join the Gallery’s Lead Curator Felicity Milburn in conversation with special guest Brett Graham. 

Main image: Installation view of Fred Graham: Toi Whaakata / Reflections, Te Uru, 2024. Courtesy of the artist and Te Uru. Photo: Samuel Hartnett