This month's Spotlight we are in conversation with kiwi artist and designer Frederick Worrell. Frederick kindly donated a silent auction prize at this year's Waitangi Day Charity Ball raising important money for our Charitable Fund. We are ever so grateful for his generosity. Since February, Frederick has been on an exciting journey with various projects including art work for the NZ High Commission in London. Frederick and I had a wonderful conversation, as Frederick moved to Newcastle, I spoke to him via Zoom.

Frederick and his work for NZ High Commission

Could you tell the New Zealand Society a bit about yourself? Whereabouts in New Zealand are you from?

Tēnā Koutou, New Zealand Society……Ko Frederick Worrell toku Inoa, I am an award-winning indigenous Māori artist, husband and father to two sons. My paternal grandfather was born in Lincoln and because of that, I was able to get an ancestry visa to live and work in the UK in 2014. I am originally from Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty New Zealand but have been based in the UK with my family for the last 8 years. I offer a wide range of practical skills and experience that range from spatial design, visual communication and fine art. As an indigenous Māori artist living abroad, I have enjoyed creating and exploring my indigenous heritage from afar through a global context. I do this by using a variety of processes, materials, theories and techniques that add texture and definition to my style of work. Moving to the UK has ironically allowed me to reconnect with and reflect upon my Māori identity and heritage.

You recently moved to Newcastle after 8 years in London. Was it a difficult move?

The decision to relocate from London to Newcastle upon Tyne was a no brainer for my whanau and I. We probably should have moved here sooner after considering Devon or Cornwall. Newcastle ticks all the boxes for us. The quality of life is calmer, relaxed, family friendly. This, followed by a landscape that reminds me of New Zealand. This location suits our family’s lifestyle needs with access to the ocean for surfing, paddle boarding, literally 12 minutes from our home to country parks on our back doorstep for walking, mountain biking, etc.….the city its self has architectural elements from contemporary futurist buildings and bridges to the classical styled architecture, these features remind me of Auckland, Sydney and London. Oh and did I mention that the people here in the north are friendly and helpful!

You had an incredible year with amazing projects including representing Aotearoa New Zealand at this year's Asian Art Biennial in Bangladesh. Which ones have been the big ones for you?

My art practice has moved from strength to strength over the last three years since leaving my full-time employment and becoming a full-time artist. During this time, I have built a body of work that explores concepts of my cultural identity and heritage, female empowerment and my true love of the natural world. As indigenous people, we are in the stream of our wairua (spirit) being carried by our tūpuna (ancestors) in a way that is connecting us to ourselves and to the world around us.

Definitely a combination of different collaborative projects connecting with people from the UK and the world. My largest commissioned projects to date include 3 large convex mirror paintings for the New Zealand High Commission in their London office, 3 smaller convex mirrors’ for The Botany Bay Project in Manchester's Oswald Primary School which was an collaborative project with the kids from the garden club followed by the design and construction drawings for a temporary building for indigenous crochet artists Lissy and Rudi Robinson Cole which will be launched to the public in 2023 for Matariki (Maori New Year) which takes place in winter from late May to early July. I was humbled and honored to be one of ten artists selected to represent New Zealand at this year’s 2022 Asian Art Biennial, which will be held at the National Gallery of Bangladesh. This has allowed me to connect with international galleries and international curators - the icing on the cake for 2022.

Who or what made you want to become an artist?

I have been an artist since I can remember. The feelings creating art gave me at a young age were peace of mind, calmness and a sense of magic. Winning artistic awards throughout my school life and tertiary education was confirmation that I was great at what I did and that I was passionate about my craft. Energy flows where energy goes.

I hold a bachelor’s degree in interior design and completed some post graduate architectural courses at Unitec school of Architecture. After working in this sector and moving to London from Auckland in 2014, I had a complete culture shock. After 5 years of working in a toxic job I hated and that affected my mental health, I decided enough was enough and I was very lucky to have the financial support and aroha of my wife Sarah McCalden who allowed me the opportunity to leave my job, in order to shift my mindset and my paradigms. I wanted to rediscover my passions - my art practice - and have more time to spend with my family. Not many people get this opportunity in life, or choose to take it, so I feel so much gratitude every day that I was able to take the time to be with myself, and really figure out what I wanted to do with my life and where I want to be. The time is now to express and believe in yourself, the time is now to be the greatest you can be.

You kindly donated a beautiful art work for our Charitable Fund last year and you are kindly donating an art work again for our Waitangi Day Charity Ball 2023, could you tell us more about it?

I’m excited to share another piece for this worthy cause as it really gives me the opportunity to connect with new audiences and my fellow New Zealanders living in the UK. The artwork I intend to create will showcase an indigenous intervention that literally reflects the relationship between New Zealand and the United Kingdom’s landscape, bird life and plants.

Could you tell us a bit more about the project you are collaborating on with Lissy and Rudi Robinson-Cole?

I first discovered husband and wife duo and their artwork online via Instagram and was so inspired by their work that I was compelled to contact and connect with them, resulting in a yearlong design commission to work with them in designing the temporary structure that would house their beautiful sculptural carvings. Their vision and work will be a world’s first-ever traditional Māori marae (meeting house) made from bright neon crocheted wool which will firstly be exhibited around New Zealand. My structural design features modern materials, Aluminum structural frame work and Polycarbonate panels, combined with their collaborative approach, Avanti-grade take on traditional Māori curving and motif. This installation, experience can be taken down, transported, and reassembled for different exhibitions around the world.

How important is your Māori heritage to you?

Very much so, being Māori is our superpower. I am a 46 years old Māori man who lived 38 years in New Zealand but felt disconnected from my indigenous roots. My Māori mother passed away when I was 7 years old and from then I became disconnected from my culture, as I was raised by my Pakeha (of European descent) father and missed a big part of growing up without my indigenous culture because I did not have my mother to show me. In bi-cultural New Zealand, I did not learn the language properly and missed out on so much, even though one would expect me to know certain things because of the colour of my skin, for me it was a source of great shame.

As I have become a more successful artist, I have a deeper desire and drive to know and understand my ancestry from both sides, not just for me, but for my kids and all the other indigenous people who have lost or are looking for ways connect with their identities. Knowing who you are and where you come from, is a superpower. My convex mirror art works are for me are a way to reflect this – of connecting past, present and future in one glimpse. I’m excited and driven to expand on this connection and develop this theme in more of my future artworks.

Who currently inspires you?

My top shelf would be Carin Wilson for his leadership art/design innovation towards his use of materials and the mentorship he gave me when I first left university as a young designer. Lissy and Rudi Robson Cole for their fearless, courageous follow through for their vision for Wharenui Harikoa by pushing the boundaries of sculpture, Karl Barrows from Haka works for his podcast interviews with business leaders sharing and bring to light how they have applied tikanga principles to their work place and how this has helped make business and the world a better place for everyone. This is current and inspirational stuff….

What do you miss the most from Aotearoa New Zealand?

My family and friends, the beautiful landscapes with locations where you can snowboard, skateboard and surf on the same day within a space of 1 hour from each other…. oh have I mention the kai – the seafood to the best organic produce that New Zealand has to offer. I guess growing up in the Bay of Plenty and living so close to the ocean, I was spoilt for choices.

Finally, I am aware that you now live in Newcastle but do you have a favourite spot in the UK and is there a place you always wanted to visit here?

My favourite spot so far would definitely be London, for its rich architectural history, multi-culture and art. Since moving to Newcastle one place I haven’t been to that is in close proximity to us, would be the Lake District in Cumbria. The images I’ve seen remind me of Wānaka, in the South Island of New Zealand in the summer time with its hilly green landscapes and lakes.

Thank you Frederick and we wish you well with all your projects, especially the forthcoming 19th Asian Biennale in Bangladesh. For more information on Frederick's work or to purchase art please visit his website www.frederickworrell.com