BIRDS, NOT RUGBY

One of my favourite things about travelling is talking with people along the way. Someone will often say “Kia ora” with great pride after mastering our national te reo Māori greeting, then confidently offer up “rugby” or “birds” as possible conversation topics. I usually steer away from rugby as quickly as possible, but our wildlife is always a welcome place to begin.

Aotearoa is known around the world for the diversity of our bird life, and Fiona Pardington’s photographs are among the most powerful examples of honouring, respecting, and cherishing these taonga species. Her work carries both beauty and weight, drawing you in with quiet intensity.

Fiona Pardington's 'Taharaki Skyside' installation. Photography by Neil Pardington

Representing Aotearoa, New Zealand at the 61st International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, Taharaki Skyside is a breathtaking series of large scale bird portraits created from taxidermied specimens held in museum collections across Aotearoa and Australia. Some images are haunting in the way the birds meet your gaze, reminding us that several of these species are now extinct. Against dark backdrops, each bird is given a remarkable sense of individuality and presence, as though their mauri has been gently restored through her lens.

For those of us back home, the exhibition can only be experienced online. I was one of the 241 people who missed out on the opportunity to be among the ten attendants selected to support the Venice pavilion. Congratulations to Fiona, her creative team, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, and Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa for representing Aotearoa with such extraordinary work.

Taharaki Skyside feels both deeply personal and nationally significant. Fiona Pardington’s work is not only visually stunning, it is profoundly moving, reminding us of the fragility, dignity, and enduring presence of these treasured species.