Over 40 artworks have been selected as finalists for the prestigious Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Awards.
The late Māori king helped establish the competition four years ago to inspire emerging Māori artists to remember their ancestors.
Rangatahi artists under 35 around New Zealand depict one of their tupuna using any medium they wish.
This year will be the first time the competition goes ahead since Kiingi Tuheitia’s death last August.
Finalist Zoe Marler chose her great-great-great-grandfather Atama Papārangi, a Te Rarawa chief born in 1821.
“I knew immediately who I wanted to paint,” she told 1News.
Marler spent over 100 hours on the oil painting.
Replicating his moko was the biggest challenge – the original photograph is so old, Papārangi’s moko wasn’t visible when it was taken. Instead, it had to be scratched onto the surface afterwards, meaning it’s not entirely accurate.
Marler was able to fill in the blanks using historic paintings of her ancestor by famous artist Charles Goldie.
“I worked with all these paintings in combination to work out what his moko would have looked like,” she explained.
Another finalist, Te Rangi Aniwaniwa Cording, used an old television to depict his ancestor Hori Kerei Taiaroa.
“I found out he was a politician for a couple of decades. I didn’t know I could be related by someone so noble.”
He filmed his father in his ancestor’s place wearing clothing Taiaroa would have worn in his time.
“I shot him at a low angle ‘cause I just see HK as this kind of regal chief. He looks like he just has his s*** together.”
The winner, to be chosen on May 21, will take home a cash prize of $20,000.
