Te Hiringa o Matiti is a presentation of new works by NGATAI TAEPA (Te Arawa, Te Āti Awa) and SAFFRONN TE RATANA (Ngāi Tūhoe) who are partners in life as well as in art.
Te Hiringa o Matiti can be translated loosely as ‘the energy of Summer’. Matiti is the period between November and April, a time of sunshine and rainbows, and a time when certain stars rise in the heavens.
This is the first occasion the artists’ collaborative works have been presented in Auckland – suspended from the gallery rafters as well as installed on the gallery walls.
SAFFRONN TE RATANA has built a reputation for creating paint-covered three-dimensional structures informed by her exploration of the materiality of paint. Her work Purapura Whetū was seen at the 2024 Sharjah Biennial in an installation curated by Megan Tamati-Quennell.
NGATAI TAEPA is known for creating sculpted wooden works expressing the customary art form of kōwhaiwhai – designs originally located on the heke (rafters) of the wharenui and which connected the earth below to the sky above. Taepa is Associate Professor in Māori Arts at Massey University. He also teaches wananga on the university’s marae, ‘Te Rau Karamu’, on which he worked as both a designer and a carver.
Photography by Sam Hartnett
Ngatai Taepa & Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #1
2026
acrylic on birch, acrylic on card
660mm H x 430mm W x 40mm D
PRIVATE COLLECTION
Ngatai Taepa & Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #1 (detail)
2026
acrylic on birch, acrylic on card
660mm H x 430mm W x 40mm D
PRIVATE COLLECTION
Te Hiringa o Matiti
2026
Installation view
Ngatai Taepa
Te Hiringa o Matiti #2
2026
acrylic on birch
235mm h x 345mm W x 30mm D
PRIVATE COLLECTION
Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #3
2026
paint brushes, acrylic on card, cotton, carved paint
330mm H x 250mm W x 145mm D
PRIVATE COLLECTION
Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #3 (detail)
2026
paint brushes, acrylic on card, cotton, carved paint
330mm H x 250mm W x 145mm D
PRIVATE COLLECTION
Ngatai Taepa & Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #4
2026
acrylic on birch, acrylic on card
390mm H x 560mm W x 30mm D (as installed)
PRIVATE COLLECTION
Ngatai Taepa & Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #4 (detail)
2026
acrylic on birch, acrylic on card
390mm H x 560mm W x 30mm D (as installed)
PRIVATE COLLECTION
Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #5
2026
paint brushes, acrylic on card, cotton, carved paint
360mm H x 230mm W x 165mm D
STR-2026-02
Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #5 (detail)
2026
paint brushes, acrylic on card, cotton, carved paint
360mm h x 230mm W x 165mm D
STR-2026-02
Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #6
2026
paint brushes, acrylic ono card, cotton, carved paint
330mm H x 170mm W x 125mm D
STR-2026-03
Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #6 (detail)
2026
paint brushes, acrylic on card, cotton, carved paint
330mm H x 170mm W x 125mm D
STR-2026-03
Ngatai Taepa
Te Hiringa o Matiti #7
2026
acrylic on birch
350mm H x 360mm W x 30mm D
PRIVATE COLLECTION
Te Hiringa o Matiti
2026
Installation view
Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #8
2026
acrylic on card, carved paint
490mm H x 100mm W x 50mm D (as installed)
STR-2026-04
Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #8 (detail)
2026
acrylic on card, carved paint
490mm H x 100mm W x 50mm D (as installed)
STR-2026-04
Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #8 (detail)
2026
acrylic on card, carved paint
490mm H x 100mm W x 50mm D (as installed)
STR-2026-04
Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #8 (detail)
2026
acrylic on card, carved paint
490mm H x 100mm W x 50mm D (as installed)
STR-2026-04
Ngatai Taepa & Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #9
2026
acrylic on birch, acrylic on card, cotton
350mm H x 300mm W x 40mm D
PRIVATE COLLECTION
Ngatai Taepa & Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #9 (detail)
2026
acrylic on birch, acrylic on card, cotton
350mm H x 300mm W x 40mm D
PRIVATE COLLECTION
Ngatai Taepa & Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #10
2026
acrylic on birch, acrylic on card
1180mm H x 380mm W x 85mm D (as installed)
NHT+STR-2026-04
Ngatai Taepa & Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #10 (detail)
2026
acrylic on birch, acrylic on card
1180mm H x 380mm W x 85mm D (as installed)
NHT+STR-2026-04
Ngatai Taepa & Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #10 (detail)
2026
acrylic on birch, acrylic on card
1180mm H x 380mm W x 85mm D (as installed)
NHT+STR-2026-04
Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #11
2026
paint brushes, acrylic on card, cotton, harakeke
590mm H x 130mm W x 130mm D
STR-2026-05
Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #11 (detail)
2026
paint brushes, acrylic on card, cotton, harakeke
590mm H x 130mm W x 130mm D
STR-2026-05
Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #11 (detail)
2026
paint brushes, acrylic on card, cotton, harakeke
590mm H x 130mm W x 130mm D
STR-2026-05
Te Hiringa o Matiti
2026
Installation view
Ngatai Taepa & Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #12
2026
acrylic on birch, acrylic on card, carved paint
590mm H x 550mm W x 50mm D (as installed)
NHT+STR-2-26-05
Ngatai Taepa & Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #12 (detail)
2026
acrylic on birch, acrylic on card, carved paint
590mm H x 550mm W x 50mm D (as installed)
NHT+STR-2026-05
Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #13
2026
paint brushes, acrylic on card, cotton
300mm H x 300mm W x60mm D
PRIVATE COLLECTION
Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #13 (detail)
2026
paint brushes, acrylic on card, cotton
300mm H x 300mm W x 60mm D
PRIVATE COLLECTION
Ngatai Taepa & Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #14
2026
acrylic on birch, acrylic on card, carved paint
345mm H x 390mm W x 35mm D (as installed)
NHT+STR-2026-06
Ngatai Taepa & Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #14 (detail)
2026
acrylic on birch, acrylic on card, carved paint
345mm H x 390mm W x 35mm D (as installed)
NHT+STR-2026-06
Ngatai Taepa & Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #14 (detail)
2026
acrylic on birch, acrylic on card, carved paint
345mm H x 390mm W x 35mm D (as installed)
NHT+STR-2026-06
Ngatai Taepa & Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #15
2026
acrylic on birch, acrylic on card, wire, cotton
600mm H x 590mm W x 80mm D (as installed)
NHT+STR-2026-07
Ngatai Taepa & Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #15 (detail)
2026
acrylic on birch, acrylic on card, wire, cotton
600mm H x 590mm W x 80mm D (as installed)
NHT+STR-2026-07
Ngatai Taepa & Saffronn Te Ratana
Te Hiringa o Matiti #15 (detail)
2026
acrylic on birch, acrylic on card, wire, cotton
600mm H x 590mm W x 80mm D (as installed)
NHT+STR-2026-07
Te Hiringa o Matiti
2026
Installation view
Ngatai Taepa
Te Hiringa o Matiti #16
2026
acrylic on birch
420mm H x 510mm W x 35mm D
PRIVATE COLLECTION
Ngatai Taepa
Te Hiringa o Matiti #16 (detail)
2026
acrylic on birch
420mm H x 510mm W x 35mm D
PRIVATE COLLECTION
Ngatai Taepa
Te Hiringa o Matiti #16
2026
acrylic on birch
420mm H x 510mm W x 35mm D
PRIVATE COLLECTION