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National | Art

Tame Iti among Māori artists celebrated at Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi laureates

Photo / Supplied

Tame Iti was among several leading Māori artists celebrated at the Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureates in Tāmaki Makaurau on Friday night, along with the inaugural Toi Kō Iriiri Queer Laureate recipient, Lindah Lepou.

Known for his work as an artist, poet and actor, Iti was recognised for excellence in multidisciplinary art with the Burr/Tatham Trust Award.

A Stuff report says an emotional Iti accepted the award and said he never went to art school but, “I had a feeling”.

Māori artist Shane Cotton, who presented the award to Iti, added that “Tame does everything with such humility.”

Also recognised were fellow Māori, Dr Maureen Lander, Mata Aho Collective, Areta Wilkinson, Hone Kouka and Paula Morris.

Samoan multidisciplinary artist Lindah Lepou, the inaugural recipient of the Arts Foundation's Toi Kō Iriiri Queer Laureate, told Stuff, “This represents all the other LGBT community and the artists that don’t get acknowledged. So I’m celebrating them as well.”

2022 Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureate Award Recipients

Dr. Maureen Lander MNZM – Multi-media Installation

2022 Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureate receiving the Theresa Gattung Female Arts Practitioners

Award Tame Iti – Multi-Disciplinary

2022 Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureate receiving the Burr/Tatham Trust Award

Mata Aho Collective – Installation

2022 Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureate receiving the My Art Visual Arts Award

Areta Wilkinson – Māori Arts

2022 Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureate receiving the Jillian Friedlander Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Award

Hone Kouka MNZM – Theatre / Film

2022 Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureate receiving the Sir Roger Hall Theatre Practitioner Award

Paula Morris MNZM – Literature

2022 Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureate

Lindah Lepou – Multi-Disciplinary

2022 Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureate receiving the Toi Kō Iriiri Queer Laureate Award