Maori rock drawing display

Press, 9 March 1988, Page 23

Maori rock drawing display

The Maori rock drawings of South Canterbury and North Otago will be on display in Wellington this month during the International Festival of the Arts. The exhibition, at the National Museum, was the idea of a South Canterbury woman, Mrs Philippa Graham, who was fired by her interest in the rock drawings. Works have been lent by the Auckland and Waikato museums for the display. Eight blocks of rock with drawings are accompanied by photographs and drawings of other early art from 12 sites.

Mrs Graham, who regularly photographs the drawings on rocks near her home at Cave for archeological records, says interest In the art has grown. With the help of a grant from the McKenzie Foundation, [ the photographer, Brian High, captured the North Otago images on film.

Conservation Department colour panels are also used in the exhibition to show the steps taken to protect rock sites from stock-rub damage. The joint curators for the exhibition are Betty McFadgen, ethnologist at the National Museum, and Tony Martin.

Mrs Graham said that she got the idea for the display from a similar exhibititon held in Oamaru’s Forrester Gallery. She wanted those gathered at the festival in Wellington to have a taste of indigenous South Island art. I The exhibition ! was opened at the National Museum on Monday. It will continue until . May 27.