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It occurs to me that patriotism is something ingrained within every New Zealander and that it should be encouraged and supported rather than replicated by a foreign country with little or no concept of the essence of our identity.
As a gallery and retailer of quality New Zealand art and craft we notice that our clients and customers look out for that one unique item that says something about their experience in Aotearoa. This cannot be replicated or copied. Maori call it Maoritanga (knowing who we are) or Mauri (life energy or force). When another country tries to copy this they only get the one dimensional aspect of the visual item and this then cheapens the experience for them. For example New Zealand Pounamu is not only different to Jade in colour and appearance but also in the Mana that Maori people have attributed to it. It is deemed Tapu or sacred as are the different artifacts and pendants that are carved out of it such as a Mere, Koru, Manaia or Hei Tiki.
The same concept applies to paintings and 3d artworks etc produced by artists who put something of themselves into the works they create. This is not something that you can photograph, copy and re-distribute. This is the difference between mass-production and one-off original art forms.
What needs to be conveyed to visitors and tourists alike is this uniqueness can come only from the country of origin and the people of that country who have a special connection with the land and the living of it.

Mike Geers Gallery Co-Director

Art by the Sea gallery enters the Buy New Zealand Made debate: Watch Here (image courtesy of TVNZ)

Gallery News March 2006

Art by the Sea is off to a great start for 2006 Linda, Erica and Mike are pleased to annouce that the National Business Review has voted our gallery 4th behind Weta Workshop as one of the top 10 exciting businesses for 2006. Read on (published The National Business Review 10 March 2006)