Hautāmiro

With the rising of Matariki and Puaka, change is in the air at Dunedin Public Art Gallery. For the past 18 months, the Big Wall has been adorned by the monumental installation Hautāmiro by Mataaho Collective. This work was created during their time as the Gallery’s Aotearoa New Zealand Visiting Artists in 2025, which allowed the four members of Mataaho to gather in Ōtepoti Dunedin to create Hautāmiro. The residency came directly after their remarkable achievement in winning a Golden Lion award at the 2024 Venice Biennale, which is among the most prestigious awards for contemporary art offered globally.

Hautāmiro takes the form of an unfurled korowai, its materials creating intersections between the natural fibre traditions of kākahu Māori, or Māori clothing practices, the arrival of wool with British and European explorers, and Aotearoa’s modern wool industry. Combining traditional raranga, or weaving techniques, with industrial materials, Hautāmiroembodies the combination of innovation and deep thinking that characterises the work of Mataaho Collective.

Although the time has arrived to deinstall Hautāmiro, we are pleased to announce the acquisition of the installation for the permanent collection of Dunedin Public Art Gallery. We are also looking forward to seeing Hautāmiro travel to Te Ika a Māui, the North Island, where it will be presented again in the second half of 2026.

Here’s a flashback to the summer of 2025 and the arrival of Hautāmiro to the Gallery's Big Wall — click here.


Mānawatia a Matariki
Lucy Hammonds
Kairauhī Curator
Dunedin Public Art Gallery

[Image: Mataaho Collective Hautāmiro 2025. Installation views. Collection Dunedin Public Art Gallery]