Jamie Berry
Bio
Jamie Berry is a Multidisciplinary Artist of Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou, Ngāpuhi, and Ngāti Ruanui descent. Her work explores Aotearoa histories and reflects on her identity and place within the current timeline. Originally from Tūranganui-a-kiwa and now residing in Te Whanganui a tara, Jamie's practice is grounded in her whakapapa and focuses on the past, present, and future. She reimagines stories through various mediums, including digital content, DNA soundscapes, moving images, and installations.
Jamie's artistic journey encompasses exploring visual elements such as light, colour, movement, and motifs. She is renowned for utilising light in dark spaces to create dramatic impressions of movement and life, often paired with resonant audio soundscapes that drive the narrative. Her notable work, "Whakapapa/Algorithms," was selected for the Beijing International Art Biennale and premiered at the Oberhausen Film Festival in 2022.
In addition to her artistic pursuits, Jamie is a digital artist and designer, as well as a Visual Arts Curator for the Kia Mau Festival 2023. She was recently selected work for the Malta International Art Biennale 2024. Jamie is currently a lead designer for the production of WOW25 and is working towards a research residency with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Canberra. She is passionate about encouraging self-determination and empowerment within her community, promoting authenticity, and reclaiming narratives.
Description
x2 Multi media work, x1 lightbox
“Tiwhatiwha te pō” 2019 7558 Collective 11:11 mins
"Tiwhatiwha te pō" is an immersive art installation by the 7558 Collective, directly addressing Toiroa prophecy of Cook’s arrival and its lasting impact on Māori. A significant 1766 prophecy by Toiroa Ikariki, a Tohunga from Māhia, who foresaw the arrival of Pākehā and the subsequent turmoil and darkness. The prophecy continues, "ko te Pakerewha, ko Arikirangi tēnei rā te haere nei," or "There is the Pakerewha, there is Arikirangi to come," foretelling the eventual appearance of the prophet Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Tūruki. The work aims to reclaim the narrative from the shore, countering the 250-year-old perspective told from the ship. It specifically honors the people of Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Oneone, and individuals like Te Maro and Te Rākau, who were killed or injured during the initial encounter.
The installation uses a soundscape and visual projection to transport audiences from the prophetic whispers to the devastating reality of Cook’s first encounter. This work hopes to provoke critical reflection on the historical narratives that have shaped national understanding, reflecting contemporary perspectives inspired by the past and discussing the impact of the encounter from different viewpoints and how colonisation continues to affect our people, whenua and awa.
Te Maro, who was shot dead by Captain Cook when he first made landfall in Aotearoa. The desire is for these stories to be told—those not readily found in mainstream historical accounts. Te Maro was a prominent leader, and his death upon approaching the foreign explorer is a significant event.
The 7558 Collective includes:
Jamie Berry - Te Aitanga a Māhaki, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Ruanui.
Pikihuia Haenga - Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Porou.
Leala Faleseuga - Samoan/Salelologa, Dutch.
Te Kahureremoa Taumata - Ngāi Te Upokoiri, Ngāti Hinemanu, Ngāti Manunui, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Tuwharetoa.
Huia Halbert, Queen of Peaches Kingi Tuheitia 2023 Awards finalist.
Huia Taina (Heperi) Halbert, Ngāti Porou - 1920 - 1992, a beloved nanny, who had dedicated two decades of her life to working at Wattie's, where she had cultivated a personal friendship with none other than J. Wattie, the company's founder, as well as his wife and children.
When illness unfortunately struck Huia, J.Wattie and his wife, as a gesture of appreciation for her long and loyal service, presented her with a farewell gift: a trip to tour the Pacific Islands.
Upon her return to Turanganui-a-kiwa, Huia wasted no time in reporting directly to J. Wattie, sharing crucial insights that would profoundly impact the company's future. She explained that Wattie's products, in their current form, simply did not resonate with the lively and colourful essence of the Islands, bringing back samples of vibrant printed material and shells.
Their packaging and presentation lacked the vivacity that would appeal to that market. This observation proved to be a pivotal moment, sparking an entirely new direction for the company's branding strategy, aimed at incorporating a more vibrant and appealing aesthetic.
Inspired by the compassionate care she received from her doctors and nurses during her time at Chelsea Hospital, Huia underwent a significant personal transformation. She decided to embark on a new chapter in her life, pursuing a career in nursing, driven by a desire to provide the same level of care and comfort to others that she herself had experienced.
Upon learning this, it became clear that some of my design and creative skills, along with many other qualities, were inherited from my Nanny, Huia.
Social - @jamie_berry_artist
Contact - jamieberrysweet@gmail.com
Link to research
Wai Maori: A Multi-Media Installation
Wai Maori is an immersive installation by Jamie Berry that centers on wai (water) as a conduit for healing. This work combines deep ritual, evocative audio soundscapes, and visual projections, all layered upon an installation of water. The ultimate goal is to create a healing space where wai facilitates connection with ourselves and our environment.
In Te Ao Maori, wai is the essence of life, the blood of Papatuanuku. It is fundamental to our being and our environment. Wai Maori explores these concepts, recognizing water's ability to absorb and transform, its reflective nature, and its power to herald good or bad. The installation invites viewers to attune to water's messages, invoking our role as kaitiaki (guardians) and fostering healing exchanges with the water and the artwork itself.
The artist's process involved collecting water samples from around the rohe (region) and imbuing them with positivity and love through daily rituals at purpose-built altars. These rituals continue within the gallery, inviting audience participation and contributions of energy and vibrations. This practice draws inspiration from Dr. Masaru Emoto's work, aiming to return the wai to its original source revitalized, potentiated, and with its mauri (life force) restored and positive. This reverence and ritual intuitively reconnect with the ways of our tipuna (ancestors), who lived as kaitiaki and treated wai with utmost aroha (love) and respect.
The accompanying soundscape, built upon Jamie Berry’s DNA sequence, serves as a poignant reminder that we are intrinsically connected to water, as we are at least 60% water ourselves.return the wai to its original source revitalized, potentiated, and with its mauri (life force) restored and positive. This reverence and ritual intuitively reconnect with the ways of our tipuna (ancestors), who lived as kaitiaki and treated wai with utmost aroha (love) and respect.
