BIOGRAPHY
Of Ngāi Tahu, Ngāpuhi, and Ngāti Kahu descent Piri was born and raised in Te Waipounamu, the South Island of New Zealand. She works as a painter, sculptor and designer - Māori culture is the backbone of her art practice.
Piri has completed several public art commissions for Te Rūnanga ō Ngāi Tahu, honouring tuna (eels). Her most recent steel sculpture Kirihao - Resilience (pictured) is situated at the Pita Te Hori Centre, Ōtautahi Christchurch. Priscilla also created seven bronze eels for Te Hononga, the Christchurch Civic building.
In 2013, Piri designed shade sails that are now installed in a Māori garden, at Les Jardins de Fruitiers de Laquenexy, near Metz, France. In 2014, thanks to generous support from Creative New Zealand, she was able to participate in the Artists in Residence, Vallauris, France.
Piri returned to Paris in September 2015 to be mentored by Marian Fountain in the creation of bronze medals. She went on to complete integrated art designs at Tākaro ā Poi - Margaret Mahy Family Park, Christchurch.
Piri is a graduate of the University of Canterbury’s School of Fine Arts.
For more please go to:
http://ngaitahu.iwi.nz/culture/ngai-tahu-toi/toi-ngai-tahu-artist/priscilla-cowie/
Selected Exhibitions:
2017 Te Ātinga Gallery, Toi Māori Art Market, Wellington, New Zealand
2016 Imago Mundi, New Zealand: Kiwi Consciousness, Treviso, Italy
2015 Portes Ouvertes, Open Studios, Montreuil, France
2014 Te Atinga Gallery, Māori Market, Wellington, New Zealand
2014 Exposition, Le Cabanon, A.I.R. Vallauris, France
2013 Festival of Colour, The Arthouse, Wānaka, New Zealand
2012 11th Festival of Pacific Arts, National Gallery, Honiara, Solomon Islands
Piri Cowie
