Māori Sculptor Awarded National Honor
By Annette Meier
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Portrait of FRED GRAHAM. Courtesy the Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi, Christchurch/Auckland.
Fred Graham, a celebrated sculptor and educator who pioneered Māori contemporary art, has been named a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (NZOM), one of the country’s highest honors. Established in 1996, the NZOM lauds those “who in any field of endeavor, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and the nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions, or other merits.”
Born in 1928, Graham became one of the most prominent figures in the first generation of modern Māori artists who emerged in the 1950s. He is known for combining Indigenous mythology and artistic practices with Western abstraction throughout his practice. In 1966, he organized one of the first surveys of modern Māori painting and sculpture in Hamilton before participating in various international shows, including the 1986 “Te Ao Mārama” traveling exhibition in Australia, and a 1992 tour in the United States that showcased contemporary Māori art. Most recently, his work was featured in the central exhibition of the 60th Venice Biennale, “Stranieri Ovunque – Foreigners Everywhere,” in 2024, marking his debut at the mega art event alongside his son, sculptor Brett Graham.
Originally trained to become an art teacher, Graham has mentored generations of Māori artists. He is known for several public sculptures on display in cities and towns across Aotearoa New Zealand. For nearly three decades, he has been a member of the Haerewa Māori Cultural Advisory Group at the Auckland Art Gallery, which supports Māori artists and Māori art and provides cultural insight for the gallery.
Graham’s appointment as Companion of the NZOM follows previous major accolades, which include receiving the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal and being awarded Officer of the NZOM in 2018.
Expressing his gratitude for the nomination, Graham stated that it gives him hope and encourages him to continue working as an artist, to preserve Māori identity and culture.
Annette Meier is an editorial assistant at ArtAsiaPacific.
