Corrugated Histories by Auckland and Wanaka based Artist, Gilly Sheffield.

From the Kākāriki Series

H 135mm
W 150mm

Made from waxed cord, mercerised thread and hemp cord.
Iron rescued from Lake Hāwea NZ.

Matriarch
'I think many of us have, or have had, a matriarch in our whānau. We usually love them, we may not always like them - perhaps because of their strength of character - but we almost always repeat them even when they expect what seems like too much form us. With the benefit of hindsight we can often see how they guided us towards a better path than we might otherwise have taken. Made in honour of our mothers and the mothers that came before them.

These corrugated crosses represent the interwoven and intertwined nature of whānau and culture. I use the iconic iron that has protected so many New Zealand families and weave on it to showcase the skills that have been passed down from generation to generation in the myriad of cultures that are part of being a New Zealander. The shape of the cross itself represents the Southern Cross and celebrates its importance in how our ancestors found their way here, and how we in the present choose to navigate the lives we lead.' - Gilly Sheffield