Whenua (Original)

Dimensions: 40x40 inches

Orientation: Square

Medium: Acrylic, Alcohol Ink.

Whenua

Whenua is a deeply personal reflection on ancestry, identity, and my connection to the land. The central figure was inspired by my great-great-great-great grandmother, imagined as an ancestral presence connected to the earth itself. I wanted her to feel timeless, both human and landscape, as though she carries generations within her body.

The piece is grounded in the Māori concept of “whenua,” meaning both land and placenta. That dual meaning became the foundation of this work. The roots beneath the woman symbolise whakapapa and the unseen ties between ancestors, body and place. They spread through the earth like veins which I see as nourishment, memory, and continuity across generations. I wanted the roots to feel alive, as though ancestry itself is embedded in the land.

The mountain behind her represents Mt. Taranaki, connecting the work to my whakapapa and family origins in the Taranaki region of Aotearoa. Rather than placing the mountain as a background element, I wanted it to feel like an extension of the figure herself. I wanted her to be shown as protective and grounding and alive. The mountain becomes both ancestor and whenua, watching over the figure while also growing from her presence.

The surrounding native flora, particularly pōhutukawa and kōwhai, reflects resilience, remembrance and connection to Aotearoa’s natural environment. The vivid red pohutukawa bring warmth and vitality into the composition while also symbolising endurance and life force.

Through colour, texture, and Māori symbolism, Whenua explores the idea that identity is never separate from land, ancestry, and the generations that came before us.

This is a 40x40 inch piece.