Archived: Ancestral Watch & Artist Talk

Live Painting & Exhibition: Ancestral Watch

Haser’s artwork, featuring figurative birds symbolizing his ancestral heritage, serves as a connection between worlds. Described as "The Watchers," these figures guide us through life and beyond. Explore the significance of heritage and identity in this exhibition, reflecting on where we come from as we move forward.

Haser will create a live painting over a week, inviting viewers to experience the exhibition and meet the artist from July 8th-12th.

Artist Bio:

Kairau ‘Haser’ Bradley is a Māori artist of Ngāpuhi descent, born and raised in the western suburbs of Auckland, Aotearoa (New Zealand). After decades of dedication to the urban canvases and 10 years navigating the corporate space of the design world, Haser now occupies a full time art practice. He is one of a handful of artists at the forefront of the graffiti and street art scene in New Zealand; with over 20 years of contribution to the graffiti community, representing and exhibiting at international events throughout Australasia, North America, Asia, Middle East, Europe, and the UK. Haser’s work reflects a lifetime of exploring the limits and boundaries of the alphabet in the context of graffiti. These studies have manifested into a post graffiti narrative which illustrates a story of his fear of love, a place for his people and hope for a better world. Similar to Haser’s works on the urban canvas, his studio works carry the same signature, saturated colour palette and are represented by bold, graffiti inspired motifs. Where graffiti allows a platform for bravado and egos to thrive, Haser’s studio practice digs deeper. His post graffiti works are a personal journey that encourage honesty and vulnerability, they explore and expose his spiritual and emotional flaws in an attempt to reinforce and strengthen his wairua (spirit). Although he has a less traditional approach, Haser’s ability to create Māori art through the lens of his graffiti persona allows him to bridge that gap and create a space for him to use his ancestors' stories as a platform to forge his own. It’s a place where he can begin to escape the criticism of the graffiti community and the real world and it’s a space that is inspired by his ideal reality.