23 Jun 2026
.jpg?w=640&hash=91D97B148107135F54C01A7A191A0039)
At first glance, it's a story about tuna.
But spend time with Toia Taiao: Whiria ko te iwi tuna at Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, and it becomes something much bigger, a story about waterways, environmental change, whakapapa, and the role artists play in helping us understand the taiao around us.
The exhibition is the result of years of collaboration, research, and relationship-building among artists and Taranaki haukainga. Supported by Creative New Zealand, the project brought together artists Tihikura Hohaia, Maree Sheehan and Alex Monteith to explore the world of tuna and the waterways of Taranaki through sound, moving image and storytelling.
For Simon Gennard, Curator of Contemporary Art at Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, the exhibition reflects the ability of artists to help people understand important issues in new ways.
"Artists enable us to see things we wouldn't otherwise be able to see, and they open up new ways of thinking about history, the future and the world we live in."
The exhibition emerged from more than four years of work, allowing the artists time to build relationships, spend time in the environment and develop a deeper understanding of the histories and realities shaping local waterways today.
That long-term approach is reflected throughout the exhibition.
For sound artist and composer Maree Sheehan, the work became a way of listening closely to the environments and species at the centre of the project.
Part of her role involved collecting and working with the sounds of tuna and freshwater environments, creating a sonic experience that helps audiences connect with what is often unseen.
"It's about bringing recognition to what's happening in the waterways and giving voice to the tuna."
Alongside the soundscape, artist and filmmaker Alex Monteith spent years returning to the waterways, working almost entirely underwater to document tuna and freshwater habitats.
Her work invites audiences to slow down and pay attention.
"Trying to slow the viewer down and give them space to really perceive the tuna and the plight of everything that's under and in the water."
The result is an immersive experience that reveals both the beauty and fragility of freshwater ecosystems, while drawing attention to the environmental pressures they face.
For Tihikura Hohaia of Ngāti Moeahu, the kaupapa sits within a much longer story, one carried by generations before us and connected to the ongoing wellbeing of waterways and the life they sustain.
Reflecting on the exhibition and the accompanying Pāo o te Manga sound night, he spoke about the importance of recognising the impacts of pollution, plastics and environmental degradation, while also encouraging people to think about the role they can play.
"It's really on each and every one of us to look for solutions in our own personal capacities."
Through sound, image and experience, Toia Taiao: Whiria ko te iwi tuna helps give voice to the waterways of Taranaki, inviting audiences to listen differently.
The exhibition continues at Govett-Brewster Art Gallery throughout June.