Pōhatu Roa: Stories in Stone offers a series of alternative histories told through the skilled hands of artists who have sculpted, carved, drilled and cut this tough and sometimes inflexible material. It features works by Chris Charteris, Craig McIntosh, Neke Moa, Renée Pearson, Fayne Robinson, Joe Sheehan and Tim Steel, who each tell their own stories through this evocative substance.

This exhibition gives a unique insight into diverse narratives that range from the deeply personal to more collective notions. The works in Pōhatu Roa, which loosely translates to the long or enduring stone, cover a surprising range of topics that include the touching story of whānau memories lost to time told through a series of bread plates carved from slate repurposed from a disused pool table; a 3 metre tall ‘necklace’ that acts as a literal and metaphorical anchor point for cultural histories; and the delicately carved objects of the everyday such as usb cords, clothes pegs and tiny birds eggs frozen forever in time.

Items from Tim Steel’s workshop, 2024