Misplaced Pages

Megan Faye Tamati-Quennell CNZM is a New Zealand curator. In 2024 Tamati-Quennell was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori and First Nations art.

Early life and education

Tamati-Quennell is Māori, and is affiliated with Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Mutunga, Kāti Māmoe, Ngāi Tahu and Waitaha iwi. She was born in Dunedin.

Career

Tamati-Quennell began her career in journalism, and worked for The Evening Post in Wellington, and also worked in film. As a junior reporter, Tamati-Quennell got to preview Te Māori, because she was the only Māori member of staff, but once the importance of the exhibition became clear, the story was allocated to someone else. She describes how the journalists at the opening were already inside before the opening karakia (greeting) was given, and that made her glad she was not present. Tamati-Quennell also worked as a weaver, training under Diane Prince at the Wellington Arts Centre and Erenora Puketapu Hetet at Waiwhetu Marae.

Tamati-Quennell applied for an internship at the then Dominion Museum (now Te Papa Tongarewa), and started there in 1990. Her first curated exhibition was Pū Manawa, covering Māori weavers and contemporary artists, and she was also involved in Kohia Ko Taikaka Anake, an exhibition of contemporary Māori art at the National Art Gallery. Tamati-Quennell has also worked at Te Papa Tongarewa as Curator of Modern and Contemporary Māori and Indigenous art, and at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery in New Plymouth. Tamati-Quennell is a co-curator for the 2025 Sharjah Biennial project in the United Arab Emirates.

As of October 2024 Tamati-Quennell is studying for a PhD at Monash University.

Honours and awards

In the 2024 Birthday Honours Tamati-Quennell was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori and First Nations art.

Selected works

• Megan Tamati-Quennell (13 December 2022). "Introduction to "History and Sovereignty"". Pacific Arts. 22 (2). doi:10.5070/PC222259586. ISSN 1018-4252. Wikidata Q130476451.
• Megan Tamati-Quennell; Lisa Reihana (1 December 2016). "Reverse Notions, Darkness and Light". Public. 27 (54): 66–77. doi:10.1386/PUBLIC.27.54.66_7. ISSN 0845-4450. Wikidata Q130476450.
• Huhana Smith; Oriwa Solomon; Awhina Tamarapa; Megan Tamati-Quennell (2007), Taiāwhio II: Contemporary Māori Artists (1st ed.), Te Papa Press, Wikidata Q75135656

References

1. Waatea Team (3 June 2024). "Māori honoured in King's List". waateanews.com. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
2. "Megan Tamati-Quennell". ICF | International Curators Forum. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
3. ^ "Megan Tamati Quennell – Curating Ngā Toi Māori". Toi Ōtautahi – The Virtual Arts Office For Christchurch. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
4. ^ Bodger-Kearns, Hannah (4 June 2024). "Tohu a Te Kīngi 2024: Art curator Megan Tamati-Quennell". Te Ao Māori News. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
5. "Honours recognise those serving Māori". Te Puna Kōkiri. 4 June 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
6. Husband, Dale (4 June 2024). "Megan Tamati-Quennell | Curator, Arts Facilitator, and Arts Writer". waateanews.com. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
7. ^ "King's Birthday Honours 2024 – Citations for Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)". www.dpmc.govt.nz. 3 June 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.

External links

• First Nations Curators in Conversation, Wanda Nanibush, Brenda L Croft, Megan Tamati-Quennell & r e a Saunders in conversation with Shannon Brett discussing their careers, curatorial roles, advocacy and agency. , 21 May 2021, via YouTube

• New Zealand journalists
• New Zealand weavers
• New Zealand curators
• Te Āti Awa people
• Ngāti Mutunga people
• Kāti Māmoe people
• Ngāi Tahu people
• Waitaha (South Island iwi)
• People from Dunedin
• Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit
• Living people