The Other Sister

Original painting SOLD , oil on canvas, 850 x 1800mm, 2012

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 Print sizes and editions (limited to 75)

• Regular museum archival paper print - 728 x 344mm
• Large museum archival paper print - 1165 x 550mm

Your unique limited edition fine art print

1. Sofia Minson creates your exclusive signed print
2. We ship for $25 in NZ and from $50 internationally
3. Your artwork arrives rolled, ready to be framed - do you need help? Request framing guidance

The story of The Other Sister

"E kore au e ngaro, he kākano i ruia mai i Rangiātea - I will never be lost, for I am a seed sown in Rangiātea."

This is a portrait of Sofia's sister Tess who is of Ngati Porou (Maori), Swedish, English and Irish ancestry. Through our eyes we share so many stories.

We are living expressions of our Ever-Present Origins, as the philosopher Jean Gebser wrote. Gods, goddesses, ancestors, earth, stars, myths and magical realms are within all of us. Yearning for us to remember ourselves.

"The Other Sister" is part of an ongoing Contemporary Maori Portrait Series, in which Minson is interested in painting creative and inspiring Maori people who are helping to evolve today's culture through their own artforms or roles in society.

'The Other' in the title comes from Sofia watching this TED talk below called "Take the Other to Lunch"

This portrait presents a juxtaposition of at least two distinct cultural 'others'. As is the case with many people who live in Aotearoa today, Tess encompasses both Maori and Pakeha. The work explores how we are connecting to our ancestors in this contemporary world and in this case Tess, who has very light coloured hair, is pictured with a simple Moko Kauae (Maori chin tattoo). 

Moko Kauae is becoming more and more popular nowadays as a way for Maori women to express their connection to their tupuna (ancestors). The generic nature of the design in this portrait and the young age of the subject suggests that it is a drawn-on moko commonly seen in Kapa Haka (Maori cultural performances) rather than a real tattooed moko, which would be unique to her status and whakapapa (genealogy).

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Sofia Minson Paintings | New Zealand Artwork