You are warmly invited to the upcoming opening of 'Whare Ngaro' by Ashleigh Zimmerman on Saturday 29th March, 10am, at Hihiaua Cultural Centre in Whang?rei.

The opening event will begin with Mihi Whahtau, followed by an Artist K?rero and a mirimiri healing clinic facilitated by Ringa Atawhai M?tauranga.

Whare Ngaro:

Ashleigh Zimmerman is a Kai Tahu artist and Art Educator living in Whang?rei. Her lens-based practice intersects with whenua/uku practice, and explores connections to Papat??nuku in relation to her identity as a wahine M?ori. 

Zimmerman completed a Master of M?ori Visual Art through Toioho ki ?piti at Massey University in 2024, developing mahi that communicates a sense of suspended animation in Te Kore as a metaphor for her infertility haerenga. Connecting to kaupapa such as whakapapa, whare ngaro, and tinana sovereignty, her work aims to highlight the vulnerable and mamae experiences in efforts to whakanoa wahine?s experiences in this space. Zimmerman uses self portraiture combined with k?k?wai to capture intimate and universal narratives with an ethereal quality.

Reviews:

"...visually capturing the torment associated with an inability to conceive in order to maintain an ara whakapapa and to become a t?puna, through a visually engaging exhibition that is cognisant of Ng? T?taitanga M?ori principles relative to whakapapa (genealogy), matauranga (knowledge), ahua (form), waihanga (process), wahi (site) and tikanga (protocol)." 

Robert Jahnke

I look forward to sharing this kaupapa with you. 

Ng? mihi,

Ashleigh Zimmerman