Kopu-a-tai

In this installation, Taupaki investigates the site of the Kopuatai Peat Dome, a largescale wetland located in the Hauraki region.

This unique environment holds significance as both a hub of biodiversity and as a living entity according to Māori memory and narrative.

Through an indigenous lens, the wetlands can be seen as a kaitiaki (guardian) for Hauraki Maori, particularly Ngati Hako, the iwi the artist identifies with. Her exploration of this landscape consists of sculptural forms in clay, pastel drawings, found objects and photographs focusing on the ancestral ties to the land itself and how this informs nature.