‘The Four Props’ hand-painted acrylic on canvas

‘The Four Props’

This piece represents my own abstract interpretation of the origins of the universe through the Māori tradition of the four props: Tokomua, Tokoroto, Tokopa, and Rangi-potiki. These props were used to permanently separate Rangi and Papa (Heaven and Earth).

I built this design in three stages in coordination with the three states of existence, with Te Kore (the void) represented at the centre, Te Pō (the night) beyond that, and Te Ao-mārama (the world of light) on the very outside configured out of life symbols. I used the golden ratio 1:1.618 to space these three levels accordingly.

Medium: Hand-painted acrylic on canvas

Dimensions: 460mm x 460mm