I lo’u lalolagi
“In My World”
A creative exhibition by Leni Kaisa.
Kia ora koutou, The Whakaraupō Carving Centre Trust and Te Whare o Rei / Rei Gallery is proud to present ‘I lo’u lalolagi, in my world’, a creative exhibition by Leni Kaisa. A Pasifika journey influenced by art, culture and music.
As a member of the Rei Collective, Leni's mahi toi is a true reflection of Leni’s mana, whakapapa and skill set, through an indigenous lense Leni presents works that allows us to view the beauty of the things that informs and influences her creative practice.
As a Samoan visual artist, Leni’s ability to uphold the mana of her whānau and communities through her creative mahi is something we all strive to achieve as indigenous creatives, to tell our stories, share our whakapapa, cultural practices and create taonga that promotes kotahitanga / unity is fundamental to indigenous creative practice.
Nau mai haere mai koutou, I lo’u lalolagi opens at 6pm on Friday the 11th of April and will run through until Sunday the 11th of May and will run through until Sunday the 11th of May.
Join us in celebrating the incredible talents of our
rangatahi at our Whakairo Exhibition. This special event
showcases their mahi toi, honouring their creativity,
dedication, and whakapapa.
Your presence and support mean everything as we
acknowledge the hard work and passion of our
rangatahi. Come and witness the stories carved into
wood, each piece reflecting the mana and mauri of our next generation.
Madhu brings together 2 styles of Indian traditional art, Mughal miniatures and Madhubani tribal art in her solo exhibition, ‘The Spirit of Ananda’. Ananda means bliss and happiness in Sanskrit , both within the present day and according to the vedas and the Bhagavat Gita, eternal bliss. She has been privileged to be tutored by her gurus Ajay Sharma, based in Jaipur, India and Vidushini Prasad based in Bangalore.
She will humbly present some of her guru Ajay Sharma’s work at the exhibition too as it will highlight what she aspires to.
Please come and enjoy this journey of Indian art.
Harbour Stories, a creative exhibition by Russ Harris
Opens 6.30pm Thursday February 13th - Closes Sunday 9th March 2025
The title of this show refers to Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour where I live with my partner and from where I draw inspiration.
I think my art is about exploring, and learning. Sometimes simply learning technique through exploring different mediums, sometimes using those mediums to create enquiries into our environment. Sometimes creating pieces that reflect ideas back into those environments.
I create pieces that celebrate where we are and what we do.
I am a political person, I create pieces in response to injustice.
I create pieces that stem from intuitive thought, dreams.
I like works that contain a narrative even though, at times, I do not know what that narrative is until I am well into what I am doing.
I like illustration. Graphic Novels, Old fashioned story books and comics.
THE FIRE INSIDE
This exhibition delves into the intricate interplay between the human spirit, and the rapidly evolving technological landscape.
The "fire inside" embodies our unique essence: our passions, creativity, and drive for meaning. However, technology can both ignite and extinguish this inner flame. While connecting us globally, it can also isolate, distract, and even threaten our sense of self. This exhibition explores these complexities, harnessing technology's potential while preserving individuality and fostering meaningful human connection.
Know Your Place - Rei Collective
Submerge yourself in an underwater symphony, make the acquaintance of local species and experience artworks as a call to positive environmental action.
Artists use observations and environmental research to create greater awareness of Whakaraupō,Lyttelton Harbour.
In this exhibition the collective has created work that responds to local research and their observations of the environment. These works speak to the change and/or connection to the local whenua the artists hope to inspire in their audience

Perfect Storm by Morag Brownlie - 11 October - 10 November 2024
Multi - disciplinary artist and film maker Morag Brownlie collaborated with Taite music award winner Sean Donnelly (SJD), New Zealand opera singers, photographers Phill Prendeville, Sam Evans, Sam Tozer and actor / artist / story teller Pita Turei.
Perfect Storm has played at over 40 film festivals around the world, winning award nominations and was the opening film at the prestigious Thessalonki short film festival.








