FUTURE PRIMITIVE NZ
Artworks by James Cannon
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
‘Rongo’ Manu Pākau (bird-wing kite)
Creation of Kites and Kite flying was a great old-time Māori practice. Kites came in many types of design and were used for all sorts of purposes from general fun and games to more serious uses such as spiritual ceremonies amongst tohunga (priests). My own fascination with flight along with my passion towards whakairo lead me to carve this particular ‘manu pākau’ representing Rongo, atua of peaceful pursuits. I decorated the aerofoil wing in a stepped on/off ‘poutama’ design representing the steps/levels towards Ranginui (sky-father), within these steps are painted kōwhaiwhai patterns representing the winds. The word ‘Manu’ means both bird and kite. Manu are seen as intermittent between spiritual and physical realms.
Saturday, July 2, 2016
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
There are many fascinating personifications of knowledge through Maori perspective. This tekoteko is a representation of Rua te Ruru, wisdom of the owl.
The Ruru (native New Zealand Owl) is a kaitiaki of Te Po, that is to say, guardian of the night, the unseen energies, realm of the departed.
The Ruru is a nocturnal bird, hunting at night in the thick dense forests of Tane.
I made the carving from an old totara fence post from Taumarunui. I have left the base of the carving natural, whilst the carving itself has a danish oil finish.
Materials; Heart Mountain Totara, Paua shell, Danish oil
Dimensions; 860mm x 160mm x 160mm
By James Cannon, Taumarunui 2015
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Monday, May 18, 2015
Tribute to Tāne
The central motivation of this piece is the
hexagon and pentagon. The hexagon represents macrocosm, everything larger than
ourselves, whilst the pentagon represents microcosm, the smaller scale down to
the minute. 6 is the number of structure whilst 5 represents life.
I carefully duplicated the dimensions of the
areas in-between the two shapes, and rotated them into position (shown in
white) forming a crafty composition of the classic Māori ‘Wheku’ design in a
most striking and simplified manner.
The ‘Wheku’ design not only displays a face
but expresses the foundation of our reality ‘Te Ao Marama’ through mnemonics
subtly presenting the great feats of Tāne-nui-a-rangi who brought light and
knowledge into our realm.
I view Atua-Māori as inter-dimensional
energies macrocosmically beyond, yet microcosmically integrated within us
through our spiritual and astral bodies. This system shows how consciousness is
within oneself yet simultaneously throughout the universe all at the same
moment.
Night and Day Project 2015
This carving presents the cyclic
nature of life. The figure represents Tāne but with
Puriri moth (NZ Ghost Moth)
connotations suggesting a life and death scenario.
Tāne is associated with life-force, he thrust
his parents Rangi and Papa apart with his legs so all life could dwell in-between.
He created man and flew to the heavens receiving all knowledge for mankind,
this I have represented by the knowledge transfer symbol in the 3rd
eye area. He also represents the forest and all life within including birds and
insects.
Meanwhile the Puriri moth is associated with death;
these moths are attracted to the Puriri tree, which are often Tapu through
their use as a burial site. Traditionally an infusion of the
leaves was used to wash the body of the deceased for preservation purposes.
The Puriri caterpillars (Mokoroa) would
eventually kill the trees, but the birds in turn would feed on them! and so the cyclic nature of life continues...
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Friday, November 21, 2014
Monday, August 25, 2014
This piece is entitled "Tukutahinga" referring to the synchronisation of the two hemispheres of the brain. The white hues represent light and knowledge synchronising. The purple represents knowledge transfer, the Pineal gland, the centre of perception. The twelve white sections represent the 12 Heavens.
Monday, July 28, 2014
This dragon carving is a fusion of ancient Scandinavian and English art styles. I developed the dragon imagery into spiraling twisted coils to representing the path of the sun throughout the year. The pattern that emerges from spring equinox to autumn is one of a double spiral - the dragon.
Dragon imagery has been also been closely associated with unseen energies, fertility, protection and esoteric wisdom.
‘Rua-te-pupuke and Te Manu-hauturuki’ carved out of native totara wood, paua, clam and mother of pearl inlays. Size: 1000mm
This carving represents the origins of carving, where Rua (a personification of knowledge) dived down into the deep sea into Tangaroa’s domain in search of his child Te Manu-hauturuki. He found his child setup on Tangaroa’s house as a tekoteko (gable figure). Tangaroa is one of the supreme atua of the Polynesian people he is lord of the ocean, and his house was richly adorned by carvings.
After Rua defeated the Ponaturi (the evil sea fairies) at that house, he took the carved posts on the outside away as examples and models, and brought them back to the human world.
Monday, June 23, 2014
‘Tāne-nui-ā-Rangi’ carved out of native totara wood, paua shell inlays. Size: 500mm high
My main concern for this carving was to create the strength and life force connotations associated with the human being. I choose to depict the mighty Tāne-nui-ā-Rangi to reflect these attributes which are characteristics of a chief.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
‘The Four Props’ hand painted acrylic on canvas. Size: 460mm x 460mm
This piece represents my own abstract interpretation of the origins of the universe through the Māori tradition of the four props; Tokomua, Tokoroto, Tokopa, and Rangi-potiki. These props were used to permanently separate Rangi and Papa (Heaven and Earth).
I built this design in three stages in coordination with the three states of existence, with Te Kore (the void) represented at the centre, Te Pō (the night) beyond that, and Te Ao-mārama (the world of light) on the very outside configured out of life symbols. I used the golden ratio 1:618 to space these three levels accordingly.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Tawhirimatea
Tawhirimatea, Future Whakaaro (Wire Tekoteko 2013)
Whano koe ki te rangi,Ki a Tawhirimatea
Kia Kaha ai koe,Kia toa ai koe,
Kia whai mana ai koe!
Go to the heavens,
To Tawhirimatea,
So that you will be strong,
So that you will be brave,
So that you will have mana!
(unknown author on original, but translated by Michael Shirres in his book Te Tangata, 1997)
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Waikura, My Shed in Taumarunui
This project represents a spiritual reflection of my world, I decided to carve the front of my shed to give it the prestige it deserves after completing the 'Te Maunga Kura Toi' degree program.
The Koruru (front mask) represents Rua-te-pupuke (the personification of knowledge) and the manaia at the raparapa represent Tumatauenga (contextual) and Rongo (conceptual) all these elements are essential for carving. The puhoro kowhaiwhai design represents a tohu, an acomplishment, also speed and agility in all these elements above.
I based the koruru on a wheku mask, Tane in his propped up position and a cows pelvis, a mnemonic to the Taurus star constellation and connectivity to the earth element. The Taurus constellation is one of the key 4 zodiac markers, marking summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and the Maori New year (matariki) in May/June time.
The koruru faces exactly north which aligns with England's Stonehenge monument, I was bought up 28km away in a small town called Andover so this is rather significant to me.
Westward my Rongo manaia faces the Great pyramids of Giza, as the opposing side Tu faces Tongariro. On an Egyptian level I have designed these manaia in a subtle adapted form of the Ankh symbol, these symbols represent the keys to the golden gate (gate of the gods), [Scopio] -on Rongo's side and silver gate (the gate of man), [Taurus] -on Tu's side. They depict the journey of the soul and birth and death of the Sun every twelve hours.
The Milky way bisects the ecliptic along the zodiac cycle through the two points of Taurus and Scorpio, hence on rare occasions the event of galactic alignment conjunction happens where earth aligns with the galactic center.
The Voyager
I look upon Karakia Whakairo as a pathway or connection to the divine,
illumination and expansion of knowledge.
In this carving I show a figure tuning into the source (Io-te-wananga) via the third
eye and crown chakra, the connective interface between the physical and spiritual worlds. This carving also shows the convergence of knowledge (Hukatai) coming
together through accumulation of facts that centralise themselves into wisdom
(Rehu-tai) presenting expansion of consciousness.
The carving is made of
three sections based on the golden ratio (ф=1.618). They represent the human,
planetary and Stella scales and simultaneously the three Maori states of
existence, Te Ao, Te Po and Te kore.
I started off the carving with a tiki styled figure at the base morphed
into a head at the lower rectangle zone which the viewer can associate oneself
with, I have emphasised the 3rd eye region in the form of a ruru (owl) head, this shows extension and is exactly half a golden rectangle.
The lighted up v-formation on the figure represents life-force highlighting our bodies solar plexus region, plus at the same time the accumulation of facts (Hukatai), [Sea-foam] as the light comes together at the point of the 3rd eye area it heads straight up in an organised manner representing wisdom (rehutai), [Sea-spray].
The lighted up v-formation on the figure represents life-force highlighting our bodies solar plexus region, plus at the same time the accumulation of facts (Hukatai), [Sea-foam] as the light comes together at the point of the 3rd eye area it heads straight up in an organised manner representing wisdom (rehutai), [Sea-spray].
Above the ruru head we have a representation of the twelve
heavens, these I have depicted in organised layers like a rainbow in the dual forms of the
karearea hawk, and the whale back fin to denote travel and experience. The rehutai beam of energy permeates
through these levels straight up from the crown of the ruru to the eliptical takarangi spiral representing the cosmos, the abode of Io, the
Stella scale and te kore. The elliptical form is reminiscent to the shape of
our galaxy, The Milky Way and also represents the
duality of the micro and macrocosm.
The back-plate is in the shape of an upward positioned waka suggested a celestial spiritual journey.
The back-plate is in the shape of an upward positioned waka suggested a celestial spiritual journey.
The Great Separation, Kinetic Mobile
Project: Tatau-pounamu
In a traditional sense Tatau-pounamu is a peace agreement
between two parties, yet if we look closer into the dynamics of this agreement
we see that Tatau-pounamu is an event that brings forth a permanent state of
change from unstability to stability, Tatau (doorway) implies event whilst Pounamu (New Zealand Jade) implies
a sense of permanence.
For this project I decided to focus on the biggest example of
Tatau-pounamu I could find, the separation of Ranginui and Papatuanuku (heaven
and earth) for this reason I decided to depict the main atua who were involved
connected presented in a mobile form to evoke balance, freedom and movement.
The mobile portrays the exact moment separation occurred, hence we have
Tumatauenga and Tumatakaka holding the sacred toki used to severe their parents arms
from their embrace. We have Ue-poto pointing to the way out and Tane in his
classic propped up position along with Tu-pai.
I organised the atua paddles in a specific order according to
our chakra locations, this is because I view the Atua Maori as Dual
personifications of our chakras (inner world) and our worlds natural phenomena
(outer world).
I relate this knowledge to Tatau-pounamu because once
separation occurred then Tane obtained the 3 baskets of knowledge of which
all the atua were assigned to their duties.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Double Helix 21st Key
Here is a 21st Key I've made, the double Helix form (like DNA) represents life and continuity. It is replicated three times to represent the Human, Planetary and Stella scales. The wood is of local Mountain Totara. The carving is approximately 60cm tall and has a peered finish all round.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Tangaroa
This is an acrylic on plywood painting. I am currently creating a whole range of Atua Maori in a simple fun expression, though strong and rich in mnemonics, one can learn from.
This particular piece is of Tangaroa, he has a serpentine form, the drip shape in-between his tale reminds us of water. He is embellished in fish-scales that offer him protection.
The blue colour reminds us of the sea, beyond this it reminds us of communication, creativity and the arts.. seeing the whole and so forth.
He is holding his own ancient symbol in the form of a tiki-wananga.
The double spiral represents evolution of the physical and spiritual.
This is a continual volunteer project I have planned with Parone Street Kindy, Taumarunui.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Rongo-marae-roa tekoteko trophey
This is a tekoteko I carved for the Dinner at the Domain 2012 event placed in Taumarunui. It was a trophey for the Marae cook-off competition.
I choose to depict Rongo because he is atua of peaceful pursuits and cultivated food, (mainly the kumara).
I choose the pattern 'taratara a kai' because this surface design was traditionally used on pataka (storage house) It represents in this context plentiful kai (food).
Monday, November 26, 2012
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