Tāmaki Makaurau galleries see sharp rise in demand for toi Māori
• May 20, 2026
Kura Gallery curator and manager Sera Clifton. Photo: Tyra Harrison.
Toi Māori is flourishing in Auckland’s art world, with surging demand driving indigenous creators to the forefront of major exhibitions and galleries.
Artists and gallerists say the rise of toi Māori marks a reclaiming of narrative, space, and cultural authority in te ao Māori.
The curator and manager of Kura Gallery in Auckland, Sera Clifton, says the growth of toi Māori reflects indigenous resilience and identity but causes ongoing misunderstandings.
"Here in Tamaki Makaurau, we have a significant public presence in toi Māori because of Ngati Whatua ki Orakei, a testament to the resilience and mana of that Iwi.
“However, this often leads to the incorrect assumption from many international visitors that 'colonisation wasn’t so bad for Māori'. This of course is not true.”
The gallery shows and sells authentic carvings, pounamu, weaving, sculptures and jewellery.
Clifton says the rise in toi Māori in galleries reflects a reclaiming of space rather than a passing trend, driven by a need to centre work that is uniquely Māori in both form and meaning.
A hand-carved toi Māori sculpture. Photo: Tyra Harrison.
From a Māori worldview, toi Māori carries mātauranga, tikanga and whakapapa, embedded through the artistic process as much as through image.
“The tikanga is [just] not practised in the making . . . for ngā iwi Māori it is much much more,” Clifton says.
She points to the importance of understanding the deeper kōrero and pūrākau that sit behind each piece, shaping both its creation and its interpretation.
“In regard to Māori leadership and guidance, my answer is simple. Without guidance and understanding, it is impossible to represent how significant the work is,” she says.
Clifton credits her own grounding in Māori art and education, including Toihoukura and Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, for informing her curatorial practice.
As Auckland’s gallery scene evolves, Clifton says the shift toward toi Māori is not about growth alone, but about recognition.
She says that Māori art is of a form that has always carried its own authority, now increasingly given space to stand on its own terms.
According to the Auckland Council’s arts survey report, “around one quarter of Auckland residents participated in ngā toi Māori shows in the last 12 months, an increase of six points since 2020.”
Graph of participation numbers in the past 12 months. Photo: supplied.
Further analysis shows that since 2020, Auckland residents are more likely than the national average to participate in ngā toi Māori and Pacific arts.
Research shows that 27 per cent of Aucklanders have attended ngā toi Māori in the last 12 months.
A work by Ngaroma, Once Were Gardeners, 2024. Photo: supplied
Artist and curator Ngaroma Riley (Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri) is represented by Tim Melville Gallery who is also based in Tāmaki Makaurau.
“I think there is increased interest in wāhine Māori carvers and our art-making practices. I believe this is because our carvings and stories are unique to us.
“I make my work for my whānau, hapū, iwi and hapori. I tell stories about us, for us. They are stories I would have liked to have had access to when I was a child.”
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