Story: Painting

Heather Straka, 'Jesus in furs'

Heather Straka, 'Jesus in furs'

In 1882 Gottfried Lindauer painted Ngāti Maniapoto chief Rewi Maniapoto. In 2005 Heather Straka reworked the image in a new version shown here. This time Rewi has a golden halo around his head, the kurī (Polynesian dog) fur cloak is now fringed with a fox, and on his chest burns the flaming heart of the Catholic faith. Straka is both referencing a historical portrait and asking questions about the judgement, then and now, of Rewi Maniapoto.

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Heather Straka
Oil painting by Heather Straka

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How to cite this page:

Jock Phillips, 'Painting - Into the 2000s', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/artwork/45921/heather-straka-jesus-in-furs (accessed 19 April 2024)

Story by Jock Phillips, published 22 Oct 2014