Graham Tipene on Placemaking: Design Thinking as Engineering

Graham Tipene has a deep connection to Tāmaki Makaurau, living at Ōrākei, the place where he and his tupuna were born. Graham is a much sought after artist in the disciplines of tā moko tattooing and in installation artworks that gives life to the history and culture of Auckland within it’s modern infrastructure. This podcast episode discusses the thinking behind some of our city’s most recent and exciting public artworks and how they speak to Auckland’s growing confidence as the preeminent city of Polynesia. (0:00) Introduction (2:10) Graham's Ambition for His Work (3:46) The Importance of Visible Māori Design Thinking in Tāmaki Makurau (6:22) The Experience of Living in Tāmaki Makaurau for Young Māori (8:11) The Process of Incorporating Art into Public Places (9:36) What Goes into Making Art (10:29) How Does this Place Personally Affect Graham's Art (11:44) How Waka Moana was Conceived (12:58) The Role of Art in Māori Culture (14:22) The Responsibility Artist Have for the Next Generation (16:23) The Role of Art within Engineering (18:52) The Engineering and Material of Waka Moana (19:37) Responsibility of Tā Moko and Tattoos (22:59) Farewell (23:57) Graham Tipene on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tewhekemokodesignstudio Waka Moana: https://www.audo.co.nz/wakamoana