While Redgie at 41 yours old may not be a young spider he took part in the local exhibit featuring 4 works from his 2022 Tū Pono series including;
Maui-Mua Walks, Te Ariki o Te Waipounamu, Ngā Atua o Te Waipounamu and Manaia o "awaiki. While several works in the series dont feature in this Exhibition, while Redgie gives little description to his Art yet says the works are paying homage to the Atua and peoples who came to the Te Waka a Maui/Te Waipounamu before the arrival of his Tupuna and himself as redgie was born in Rotorua an moved down to Dunedin when he was 9 years old and finally settling in Kaiapoi .
As a 3 year old Redgie didn't know but he was at the Center of W'akairo. Rotorua was the place that had New Zealands Arts and Crafts Institute. He did not know his w'apapapapa yet found himself looking up at these giant carvings in wonderment asking himself who were these people. Redgie describes it as being like memory but not his, almost a sense of belonging or knowing yet no understanding what it was at such a young age. It wasn't until years later while being made to do Kapa'aka at his school Ta'una Intermediate down south that Redgie discovered a deep burning for something he didn't yet understand and with a brief conversation with his Father who wasn't in support of Redgie learning about his Māoritanga a seed was planted that was an important piece for Redgie that was missing that would grow and drive much of his being in life especially those times when Redgie was headed the wrong direction the beat of that drum got louder, it wasn't until the death of a good mate Daniel "Flounder" Williams that slowly through the pain of this combined with later losses did Redgie come full circle through letting go of the ropes, letting go of loved ones and going purely on instinct whilst feeling the sufferings of those losses did things take a turn.
As well as the exhibition Ta'u News came to his home studio for a 2 hour interview. In the unseen footage Redgie expresses his reasons for the series and his background a little more intimately.
The Tū Pono series which came from a time in 2021 where his stance was a firm one "I stood in Truth for better or worse in a time when few were scared too and my heart bled at that time for our people of New Zealand". It was a time that forced me to stand and look at my core beliefs, my authentic self, look again at my sense of purpose and of the upmost importance - the tino Rangatiratanga for not only myself, my w'anau, my w'anaunga out there. The outcome was a raw look inside myself, my w'akapapa and the w'enua and its peoples that have helped shape me into the person I am today and those artworks are a reflection of that time, those thoughts and feels of that time of hardship in 2021 - the outcome are these pure, raw and honest artworks. Redgie has often had his w'akapapa questioned yet asides from the odd silly comment about his complexion Redgie continues his path on the Waka. When you cope friction or resistance you are on the right track. While Redgie is recognised for his Māori art he also is of Te Iwi o Pake'a too and thoughts and Ideas come from all facets of life both the physical, metaphysical and celestial - " I'm bound to not one Genre when making art or design as I like to explore all things as I believe we are spiritual beings living a physical experience. Those trials, tribulations, the sufferings as well as the thrill of great achievements are what ALL of us as experience as human beings, we are not that much difference from one another'.
Redgie also is a Tā Moko Practitioner and these are often facets that his clientelle have spoken of too when they want to express their Tino Rangatiratanga. While Redgie has his goals and desires for his Art he has a deep desire for the people he shares w'akapapa too through his Tupuna Pari Te Rangitu'ui and Michael Aldridge too come out of the woodwork, connect, have a place for their decendents to come together and a'wi one another for generations too come.
Redgie has the hope that we can all use our different lenses and w'akapapa to realise all humanity w'akapapa to Te Kore and experience "te Kota'itanga"
For now Redgie will continue to push boundries, to paint, design and tattoo while teaching his w'anau along the way.
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