A.J Manaaki Hope

Images by Java Wilde.

Who are you? And what do you do?

Tēna rā tatou katoa, He uri ahau nō Ngāpuhi, me Ngāti Te Ata, me Ngāti Kahu, me Waitaha, me Kāti Mamoe, me Kāi Tahu, me Ngati Pākehā hoki. Ko Alexander John Manaaki Hope toku ikoa.

I am ascended from these people. My name is A.J, and I am a maker currently based in Te Whanganui a Tara. My practice spans painting, drawing, carving, and sculpture.

What inspires your art?

My practice has allowed me space to connect with my tīpuna and their stories, nga korero me nga purakau oku iwi, and I still have so much to learn. Ka mua, ka muri, I’m in conversation with inner child and inner elder. It is, in part, an avenue to expand on my own understanding of Te Ao Māori, investigating Māori art histories while also expanding knowledge LLC within the Western hegemony of art history. I am privileged to be following in the footsteps of some badass Māori artists.

Tell us about a project you’re currently working on.

Over the next three months, I’ll be working on a residency with Paemanu, a Ngāi Tahu artist collective. I am working with ōnepu that was taken from Te Wai Pounamu and shipped to Te Whanganui a Tara to make the beach at Oriental Bay. This displaced whenua stirred up questions around my own ties to land and place, and I will be investigating this through a series of paintings and carvings that will work in conversation with one another. I will have an exhibition of these taonga in the new year.

What do you hope people will take away from your art?

I don’t hope for too much. First and foremost, I’m just trying to make something I think looks cool. I could say that I want people to understand that I am challenging colonial perspectives and celebrating the power of whakapapa, delving into the in-between space where connections are formed and broken, challenging Western art hegemony, intertwining the strands of my ancestry to weave a unique tapestry of self-discovery on the heke towards tino rakatirataka - but that’s a bit much. I like to leave it up to the reader to delve into the nuances and find something that resonates with them. Hopefully, they can feel the mauri, though. That would be cool.

How would you describe your style?

I am intrigued by combining different materials, mediums and techniques to tell a story. I like making stuff that is striking at first glance and then has some element of nuance as you investigate deeper. Working with ōnepu on this project has added to the gritty, bold, densely layered quality of my paintings, and I intend to keep leaning into this.

You work as part of a creative community, Punaka Collective; tell us a little more about this?

Punaka started up in December of 2022. It was formed out of a need for affordable spaces for makers in Te Whanganui a Tara. There are now 15 makers working out of our studios at 21 Blair St with disciplines spanning painting, sculpture, textiles, drawing, pottery, tattoo, photography and fashion. We wanted to curate a space that could be a quiet refuge, a safe space that encourages the unhindered expression of self. Our ethos is rooted in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Partnership, participation, and protection, a commitment to fairness, equality, and respect for all people and cultures. It has been a really dope place to create, and we hope it can enliven the Te Whanganui a Tara creative community and our collective disciplines.

How can people find out more about your work?

I post most of my work on Instagram @ajhope.toi. Feel free to hit me up if you wanna collab or korero, or just shout me a kai! Also, check out Punaka @punaka.collective on Instagram, we have some exciting things happening over the summer, so keep your eyes peeled. Chur!