Jade Townsend (Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi) will be exhibiting a series of new paintings that recall her time in Whanganui as the artist for the Tylee Cottage residency in February 2024. From the Lion’s Mouth, curated by Cecelia Kumeroa, is influenced by whānau-orientated narratives and stories from sites of significance that have assisted Whanganui in winning prestigious awards such as the UNESCO City of Design. Townsend diverts these histories through the compelling prism of painting, offering up new kōrero for consideration.

Townsend describes her work: “Water is the binding thread throughout the series—the awa, the wishing well, Rotokawau Virginia Lake, the Higginbottom Fountain. The surfaces shimmer with iridescence, inspired by my nana’s diamond paintings, in which tiny mosaic-like resin stones are intricately arranged on a canvas. A similar treatment, achieved through acrylic paint, transforms a palm tree, a bridge, and other common Whanganui motifs into glistening water features capable of holding memory and replenishing it. Lines and letters recall my dad’s hand as a sign-writer—precise and direct. Embellishment, in all its forms, reveals itself as whakapapa, a family vernacular for mythology-making.”