Kura Te Waru-Rewiri

Kura Te Waru Rewiri was born at Kaeo, Tai Tokerau, and grew up in Waitangi. She attended Northland College and Bay of Islands College before completing a Diploma in Fine Arts (Hons) at the Ilam School of Fine Arts, University of Canterbury. She trained as a teacher at Christchurch Teachers’ College in 1974 and spent the next ten years teaching at Tamaki College, Te Kuiti High School, Western Heights High School, and Tangaroa College. In 1987 Kura was Chairperson of the Board of Governors at Tangaroa College, and in 1988 served as a committee member of the Board of Trustees at the College. From 1986-88, Kura was Director of Te Puke o Tara – PR3 Hilary College, and from 1989-93 she tutored bridging art, painting, drawing and design at Wanganui Polytechnic. In 1993 Kura took up an appointment as lecturer in Māori art at Elam School of Fine Arts and remained in this position until 1995. From 1996-99 she completed various papers in Te Reo Māori and Te Reo Rangātira at Massey University and in 2000 she graduated with a Masters in Māori Visual Arts (1st class hons). From 1996-2001 and in 2003, Kura was a lecturer in Māori Visual Arts (Toioho Ki Apiti) in the Māori Studies Department at Massey University. In 2004 she was appointed Head of Painting at Te Whare Wānanga O Awanuiarangi, Whakatane, and Admistrator/Fieldworker, Matakura Directory, Massey University Te Kura Toi Advisory Committee, Te Whare Wānanga O Aotearoa.

As a leading New Zealand artist, painter and art educator, Kura has held over 26 solo exhibitions and over 30 group exhibitions in New Zealand and overseas. She has curated many exhibitions including: Te Ao Hurihuri, Contemporary Māori Women at the Govett Brewster Gallery in New Plymouth (1987), Te Huihuinga, Contemporary Cultural Exchange Māori/Hawaiian at Forum North, Whangarei in 1988, He Kokonga, 1st Artist Choice Exhibition at Auckland City Art Gallery (1989), Nga Nui O Te Ra, Master Weavers of Aotearoa, Te Taumata Art Gallery Pacific Rim Weavers Conference (1992), Ko te Hapai o i muri, ko Te amorangi ki mua, Manawatu Art Gallery, Palmerston North in 1996. She has received numerous commissions and her work is represented in major New Zealand galleries. She was a foundation member of Te Atinga, Te Waka Toi NZ Arts Council from 1987-89 and since 1989 has been an Art Assessor for Te Waka Toi. In 1987 she was Education Officer for Te Hokinga Mai – Te Māori at the Auckland City Art Gallery. From 1992-95 she was a Member of the Advisory Committee for BFA Wanganui Polytechnic. Kura has written non-fiction articles, reviews, and a thesis. She has also written under the name Kura Rewiri-Thorsen.

Biographical sources

• Phone conversation and correspondence from Kura Te Waru-Rewiri: 30 July 1998 and 2 October 2004.
• Phone conversation and correspondence from Kura Te Waru-Rewiri: 30 July 1998 and 2 October 2004.
• “Kura Tentative About ‘Māori Artist’ Tag.” Press [Christchurch] 2 Sept. 1992: 20.