Dr Karaitiana Taiuru: cultural academic on artist Lester Hall's use of Maori symbolism in artwork - Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

A Tikanga Maori expert says some work by Pakeha artist Lester Hall  inappropriately uses Maori symbolism.

Hall's calling it quits and closing his Kerikeri art studio and removing Maori influences from his work, saying there have been sustained and nasty attacks on him and an Auckland gallery that's now stopped featuring his work.

Karaitiana Taiuru  says of forty-four prints Hall has listed on his website, eight are culturally offensive.

"They used traditional Maori religious symbols, someone else's ancestor, the sexualisation of Maori women... there's genuine concerns for me with some of his art. Overall, I would suggest a little of it is provocative, but most of it's ok."

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