ONE WEEK ONLY

ARTIST RECEPTION: Saturday, 17 October, 3-5pm

Coinciding with Rangi Kipa’s (Te Atiawa, Taranaki Iwi, Ngati Mutunga, Ngati Tama) presentation at the 18th Lyon Biennale of Contemporary Art in France, we are honoured to present three new carved works by the artist accompanied by selected photographic works released earlier this year.

These new works offer an opportunity to encounter Kipa’s practice at an important point in its development. Their presentation alongside his participation in the Lyon Biennale creates a dialogue between the local and the international: between the particular histories and cultural knowledge embedded within Māori carving and the broader conversations of contemporary art.

From the 17 - 27 September, Rangi undertook a live residency at the Lyon Biennale, carving at Les Grands Locos, offering visitors the opportunity to handle his precious carvings. Dr Lisa Renard, a French social and cultural anthropologist and museologist, worked alongside Rangi during this period.  

“Through this work, I continue practices shared by Indigenous peoples united by Moana-nui-a-Kiwa (Pacific Ocean), which have been observed for thousands of years.

 Carved from whale bone and teeth recovered from natural strandings along the shoreline of Aotearoa (New Zealand), these works honour the whale as the supreme ariki (chief) of their domain, our revered ancestor and relation, and recognise our place within the interconnected cycles of oceanic life.

 Across Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, such materials have long existed within an economy of mana (prestige bestowed by others) and embody chiefly authority, whakapapa (shared ancestry), and diplomatic exchange. 

The recurring patterns and forms that define these works are not ornament alone. This visual language functions as mnemonic vessels that carry knowledge and values across generations, and connect contemporary practice to ancient understandings of identity, kinship, stewardship, and belonging.

By contributing to this practice, I seek to affirm mana as a living force that sustains cultural continuity and reinforces the enduring relationships between people, ocean, and cosmos." (for Office of Contemporary Art, 2026)

The significance of this moment extends beyond the individual works. Kipa’s presentation at the 18th Lyon Biennale places contemporary Māori practice within an international exhibition that brings together artists and perspectives from across the world. The participation of ten artists from Aotearoa New Zealand is an important opportunity for audiences in France and internationally to encounter the diversity, complexity and continuing evolution of contemporary art from this country.

Curated by Catherine Nichols, the 18th Lyon Biennale of Contemporary Art opened in France in September and runs from 19 September to 13 December 2026, across multiple venues throughout Lyon. Alongside Rangi Kipa, the Aotearoa artists participating are Fiona Clark, Ngahina Hohaia (Taranaki Iwi, Te Atiawa, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāti Mutunga, Parihaka), Maureen Lander (Ngāpuhi, Te Hikutū), Yana Nafysa Dombrowsky M’Baye, John Miller (Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Tawake ki te Tuawhenua, Te Uritaniwha, Ngāti Rēhia, Te Whiu), Sriwhana Spong, Michael Stevenson, Ashleigh Taupaki (Ngāti Hako, Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Kahungunu) and Luke Willis Thompson.

We extend our sincere thanks to many people but in particular to Stephanie Post, Taarati Taiaroa and Anna-Marie White for their considerable work in bringing Rangi Kipa’s presentation at the Lyon Biennale to fruition.

Rangi Kipa’s participation in the Lyon Biennale has been made possible through the generous support of Ngā Iwi o Taranaki, Toi Māori Aotearoa, the New Zealand Embassy to France, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand Cultural Diplomacy International Programme, Creative New Zealand, Govett-Brewster Foundation and Govett-Brewster Art Gallery.

To register interest: info@melanierogergallery.com