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Te Rongo Kirkwood: The Seer, the Seen, the Seeing

The Corning Museum of Glass (CMoG) announced the selection of mixed-media artist Te Rongo Kirkwood (b. 1973, Auckland, New Zealand) as the recipient of the 38th Rakow Commission. The Museum’s Rakow Commission, in its 38th year, supports the creation of a new work in glass by an artist who pushes the boundaries of the material and who is not yet represented in CMoG’s permanent collection. The annual award was first presented in 1986, and recipients have ranged from emerging to established artists.

The Seer, the Seen, the Seeing is a multi-dimensional installation that represents the artist’s most personal series in glass to date. Drawing from Māori weaving practices, Kirkwood has created a kākahu (cloak) made of glass and woven fibers, alongside a Puru hau (sacred ritual vessel) in blown glass. These two works are central symbolism to a film featuring Kirkwood and her father, set against the backdrop of their ancestral lands at Piha beach on New Zealand’s west coast.

“I find it difficult to express my internal experience through words, so I turn to art to explore the layers of complexity of being alive, seeing, and perceiving,” said Kirkwood. “Recently, I've been using imagery and film to engage more directly with my work, I want to express nuance and connect on a deeper level. I love how each viewer resonates with art in their own way, bringing their unique lens of perceptions and life experiences.”

  • Brad Patocka
    Director
  • Tami Landis
    Director
  • Te Rongo Kirkwood
    Director
  • Brad Patocka
    Producer
  • Tami Landis
    Producer
  • Corning Museum of Glass
    Producer
  • Alexis Gethin
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    Documentary, Art, Glass
  • Runtime:
    21 minutes 6 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 14, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    8,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    New Zealand
  • Language:
    English, Maori
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director - Brad Patocka, Tami Landis, Te Rongo Kirkwood