Greek amphorae or vases are one of the oldest surviving forms of art because of their durability compared with paintings. The black and red figure vases (in which people and animals are shown either as black silhouettes or in the red of the original clay) show the staggering skill of artists working from around 600 BC onwards. The makers were evidently proud too, as these are one of the earliest forms of art to bear the signatures of individual artists.
Marian Maguire herself is regarded as one of New Zealand’s leading printmakers, and in this latest series she gives the ancient format of Greek amphorae a postmodern twist by replacing the legendary Greek heroes and heroines with scenes and personalities from our own history. Ngati Ruahine warrior Riwha Titokowaru is recruited in favour of Achilles and Hector in her spectacular large lithographs, and the Taranaki land wars which engulfed him form the backdrop. There are occasional guest appearances by Socrates (to discuss Virtue by the campfire) or Atlas, who helps Tane keep the distance between Rangi and Papa - moments of humour that enliven the artist's superb control of the medium.
Marion’s fascination with Greek vases and adaptation of ancient myths dates to 1997. Other series have included The Odyssey of Captain Cook (2005) and The Labours of Herakles (2008) in which she casts the Greek hero as a colonial pioneer.
Titokowaru is a suitably complex New Zealand ‘hero’ to star in these narratives, especially as he altered his position on war and peace many times throughout his life. He grew up in the shadow of war, his South Taranaki home frequently raided by northern tribes, and went onto to lead iwi who fought to retain their land in the brutal wars of the 1860s to 1880s. But at various points in his life he converted to Christianity and was a notable peacemaker. Towards the end of his life he was imprisoned with the non-violent passive resistance campaigners at Parihaka in 1881. Titokowaru’s Dilemma took three years of research and print making to complete. Marion used her time as artist in residence at Tylee Cottage, Whanganui, to visit notable historic sites in the Whanganui and Taranaki regions.Though not epic on the scale of the Trojan wars, Marion Maquire makes clear that our New Zealand land wars were certainly tragic and, like myth, continue to echo through our collective consciousness. The exhibition is a touring show from the Sargeant Gallery.
