The Corning Museum of Glass (CMoG) announced the selection of mixed-media artist Te Rōngō Kirkwood (b. 1973, Auckland, New Zealand) as the recipient of the 38^th Rakow Commission. The Museum’s Rakow Commission, in its 38th year, supports the creation of a new work in glass by an artist who pushes the boundaries of the material and who is not yet represented in CMoG’s permanent collection. The annual award was first presented in 1986, and recipients have ranged from emerging to established artists. Kirkwood’s work, which joins the Museum’s permanent collection, will be unveiled at a public event on 14 November 2024.

The seer, the seen, the seeing is a multi-dimensional installation that represents the artist’s most personal series in glass to date. Drawing from Māori weaving practices, Kirkwood has created a kākahu (cloak) made of glass and woven fibers, alongside a Puru hau (sacred ritual vessel) in blown glass. These two works are central symbolism to a film featuring Kirkwood and her father, set against the backdrop of their ancestral lands at Piha beach on New Zealand’s west coast.

The cloak worn by Kirkwood’s father embodies a connection to past, present, and future generations. In the symbolic act of passing it to his daughter, he offers not only the gift of ancestral wisdom and love but also unresolved intergenerational pain inviting her to integrate what she can in her lifetime as part of the ongoing cycle of evolution and transformation.

The pieces and film will be brought together at CMoG in a mixed media installation, which provides visitors with an opportunity to experience the sight and sounds of the kākahu in its active, embodied state. The red and blackkākahu will be suspended in front of a large video screen and above the black sand of the New Zealand beach where the ritual took place.

“I find it difficult to express my internal experience through words, so I turn to art to explore the layers of complexity of being alive, seeing, and perceiving,” said Kirkwood. “Recently, I’ve been using imagery and film to engage more directly with my work, I want to express nuance and connect on a deeper level. I love how each viewer resonates with art in their own way, bringing their unique lens of perceptions and life experiences.”

The 38^th Rakow Commission has been awarded annually since 1986. The Rakow Commission, one of the most prestigious awards for artists working in glass, supports the creation of a new work by encouraging artists to venture into new areas that they would have been unable to explore because of financial limitations. This program is made possible through the generosity of the late Dr. and Mrs. Leonard S. Rakow, who were Fellows, benefactors, and dear friends of the Museum. Each commissioned work is ultimately added to the Museum’s permanent collection, where it can be experienced for generations to come. Since its conception, the Commission has been awarded to a range of recipients, from established glass artists to emerging names.

“I’ve been keeping an eye on the profound work Kirkwood has been applying to glass for some years, I’m so pleased to see her push her practice into new possibilities for this year’s Rakow Commission,” said Tami Landis, CMOG’s Curator of Postwar and Contemporary Glass. “Kirkwood’s multi-dimensional approach to glass is grounded in a deeply considered practice that echoes time, place and materials as critical elements in her work. This year’s commission will be a significant visual and conceptual moment for our audiences from all over the world as it centers on family and inherited knowledge, past and present—which connects all of us. To date, this will be Kirkwood’s most personal work. I truly feel that it will unveil universal truths for each of us to consider as we engage with each element of this project.”

“Kirkwood’s work is a powerful addition to our growing collection of contemporary works of art,” said Karol Wight, president and executive director of the Corning Museum of Glass. “Each year, we select an artist at the forefront of the field. Kirkwood’s use of glass as an integral element of her practice which draws on her Scottish, English and Māori heritage and is grounded in her desire to understand light, space, and time, makes this Commission an especially meaningful piece in our collections. Kirkwood will also be the first artist from New Zealand to receive the Rakow Commission, and the first artist with Māori heritage to enter CMoG’s collection”

A special Connected by Glass program will take place on 14 November 2024, at 6:00 pm EST, during which the 38th Rakow Commission will be unveiled. In-person attendees will be among the first to experience the installation immediately following the public talk, which will also be livestreamed. The in-person event is free and open to the public, and online attendees can register to receive the livestream link here.

About Te Rōngō Kirkwood 

Te Rōngō Kirkwood (b. 1973, Auckland, New Zealand) is known for her vibrant and evocative works that often explore themes of cultural heritage and identity. Her work comes from a universal perspective drawing on archetypal symbolism and a Maori world view creating pieces that resonate with historical significance.