He Aituā, he aituā.
Fred Graham, a pioneering figure in contemporary Māori art, passed away on Friday morning surrounded by his whānau.
Born in Arapuni, Waikato in 1928, and of Ngāti Korokī Kahukura and Tainui descent, Graham was instrumental in carving the path for modern Māori art in Aotearoa.
Originally trained as a teacher, Graham began his career as an arts adviser in Māori schools, before rising to lead art departments across the North Island.
His educational work laid the foundation for a new generation of Māori artists. In 1966, he co-organised The Class of ’66, one of the first exhibitions of modern Māori painting and sculpture, marking a turning point in the country’s art history.
Graham became known for his bold, symbolic sculptures that fused tikanga Māori with Western abstraction. His public works such as Kaitiaki in Auckland Domain and Waka Maumahara near Horotiu stand as enduring cultural landmarks. His work was exhibited internationally, from Vancouver to South Korea.
Throughout his career, Graham was widely recognized for his impact on Māori art. In 2017, he received the Te Tohu mō Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu Award at the Te Waka Toi Awards. The following year, he was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, and in 2025, he was promoted to the rank of Companion of the Order.
The whānau confirmed the following details of the tangihanga in a statement:
He will arrive at Pohara Paa at 2pm tomorrow and the final service will be held at 11am in Ngāruawāhia at the Chaepel at Hopuhopu Sports Grounds.
