AS 90913: Tracey Tawhiao Subversion - Blog Post 2

1. Wide reading approach: Subversion as a compositional framework.

Tracey Tawhio - Draw a thumbnail sketch and label everything - one artwork

2. Record: What can you categorize the objects she uses as, and why?

The objects Tracey Tawhiao used in her artwork are a fish, double koru, rectangles, triangles, wavy lines, and one of the drawings of the Maori cave art. 

Fish - represents the economy

Double koru - represents two lives growing together(Maori & Pakeha)

I think the rectangles represent fields of land that they owned but were taken away/

Triangles - represents Maunga/mountains

Wavy lines - represents water/sea

Maori cave art - represents the Maori culture 

Altogether, these symbols represent what was lost from the Maori after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. One is land(represented by rectangles & triangles). The majority of New Zealand was covered by Maori land holdings when the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840. Within a century, it had been reduced to a few isolated patches of land, mostly in North Island's central region. Their land was either confiscated or purchased by the government or in private. Because of this, comes a loss of the economy—meaning waterways and food sources(represented by fish & wavy lines). Another result of land loss is the lost access to culturally significant sites such as burial grounds and pa(represented by the Maori cave art). 

Double koru is also one of the symbols used in the artwork. Although, mostly all of the symbols represent what was lost due to the result of the agreement. I believe this was added to represent one of the consequences of signing the treaty—two cultures growing/living together. 

3. Record: Talk about space in her work-what do you notice?

She separates her work by following the grid in the newspaper. She also left some space to show texts that she wants to convey to the viewer. In this case, the texts of "It's what they didn't say that told the story"(the misunderstanding of the written agreement)  and "ownership"(land theft) — referring to the aftermath of the Treaty of Waitangi. 

4. Record: Talk about colour in her work-what can you describe?

- The colours she used in her work are monochromatic green as well as blue and grey. The colour blue and green is used to represent the nature/environment.