More than 180 artefacts from a renowned New Zealand bone carver has been put on display at the Canterbury Museum.
Owen Mapp in his studio. Photo: supplied
The exhibition titled Dragons and Taniwha, by artist Owen Mapp, opened on Friday and will run until November 22nd.
Mapp says the dragon represents his Shetland Islands (Scotland) and Welsh heritage, while Taniwha represents the New Zealand side of his life.
In 2019, he was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to carving and bone art.
Mapp, who has been carving since the 1960s, says it is the largest exhibition he has ever held in Canterbury.
"This is why it's so exciting, I see it as my full circle journey, starting as a 14-year-old doing holiday work in the museum and at archeological sites," he said.
Mapp has sculpted a variety of materials including whalebone, horn, pounamu and mammoth ivory.
He said when he started bone carving, the art was non-existent in New Zealand.
"To be blunt, when I started there were no bone carvings available in New Zealand shops, galleries and tourist outlets, there was nothing," Mapp said.
"So in the late 1960's and early 70s, I reintroduced bone carving, specially with the technique of hand tool carving."
The exhibition at Canterbury Museum includes jewellery, small sculptures, hei tiki, mere, netsuke, knife handles and other objects.
Canterbury Museum Director Anthony Wright said the museum is thrilled to be hosting Mapp's work.
"Owen is one of New Zealand's foremost artists and his works are exquisitely crafted. Dragons and Taniwha is on until November and I'd urge Cantabrians to come and see it while they have the chance," he said.
