Tyrone Te Waa

Iwi:: Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Tūwharetoa
Discipline:: Visual Artist / Installation / Mixed Media
Awards:: Springboard Award 2022
Highlight:: “I am grateful for this award and its availability at a time when I am looking for a studio space to continue my practice in Tāmaki Makaurau. It gives time to continue research and develop ideas for upcoming shows. It means I will produce works with the necessary space and that’s amazing! So ngā mihi nui to you all. I look forward to working with my mentor Ron Te Kawa, as I know the mentorship will be a priceless and influential experience to say the least. I will also extend my thanks to Anna Miles for her nomination, and I am grateful to all those involved in the selection process as well as Jessica Palalagi for her facilitation and support so far. Lastly, I would like to thank my whānau, my partner Samuel Almeida, and all the friends and mentors that continue to support me. I am thinking of you all right now. And I feel very fortunate.”
Last Update:: 15/10/2024, 08:24 am

Tyrone Te Waa

This Springboard Award is gifted by Philip Carter

Tyrone Te Waa born 1992, is a studio-based artist who works predominantly with found materials including fabric, wood, and paint. Living and working in Tāmaki Makaurau, Tyrone completed his Master of Creative Practice at Unitec in 2021. During his time at Unitec, he was involved in group exhibitions such as Farewell to Fingers and curated the show Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua at Unitec’s Gallery One. More recently Tyrone’s work has been seen in exhibitions from Clingwrap at Sanc Gallery, to A New Net: Four Early-Career Māori Artist at Tim Melville Gallery, where he assembled intuitive gallery installations of bound bust positioned on wrapped timber support structures.

He describes his practice as “An act of knowledge weaving” emphasizing the artist’s hand as the force that brings materials to life. Presently he is working part-time as a teaching assistant within Unitec Creative Industries Programmes and conducting self-directed research based on Takatāpui/gay/queer histories within Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Tyrone will be mentored by renowned fabric artist Ron Te Kawa

Statement from selection panel:

“Tyrone Te Waa collects and forages materials from his surroundings, including the inorganic collections of Tāmaki Makaurau. Recently graduated from a Masters of Creative Practice from Unitec, Te Waa has forged an exciting sculptural practice bringing together textiles and timber with a strong emphasis on intuitive process, and hand crafting–learning and exploring through material transformation. His installations are arresting and unexpected in their wonky, abstracted figuration, and their strong sense of ‘thingness’ and object presence, and incredible sensitivity to colour and texture."