Festival Top Five: Miriama Grace-Smith

Miriama Grace-Smith is a Māori artist based in Wellington. Miriama dabbles in a few different areas in the creative arts; as a curator, muralist, fashion designer, art and wardrobe director. She is also a member of Māori women’s art collective Hine Pae Kura and has her own street wear label Foresight Clothing.

Here's what Miriama has to say about her top five Festival picks:

MAU: House of Night and Day

As an artist, one of my favourite things to do is to check out exhibitions in the Wellington region. Te Papa’s Toi Art gallery is a space that I love to visit often and I’m looking forward to seeing this space transform into an immersive live stage. MAU sounds exciting, new and different.

Paula Green’s Poetry Shelf Live

I love to listen to poetry, this event has a line-up of talented poets that I look forward to seeing, and among the line-up is my good e hoa Tayi Tibble. She actually got me into poetry because her work is so good!

Art in the Afterlife

When I visit the homes of my whānau and friends, the first thing I do is look at the artworks on their walls. Among many things, I wonder why they chose those particular work. I am interested to know what piece of art Justin Paton, Dame Anne Salmond, Matariki Williams and Witi Ihimaera would take with them from their homes into the afterlife; it makes me wonder what piece I would take with me.

Black Ties

I like the sound of this show, it sounds like a show that I would relate to as Māori with a very large whānau. I like a good laugh and love the sound of a live band pumping out all the party favourites.

Estère: Into the Belly of Capricorn

I haven’t seen Estere live yet and I love her music, how she weaves together R&B, Folk and electronic music is so awesome! I’m also sure she grew up in my hometown Paekakariki and I am all about supporting our Paekakariki talent!