Watch: Four artists talk about their work
Photographers and artists Caroline McQuarrie, Johanna Mechan, Cora-Allen Lafaiki-Twiss, and Natalie Robertson discuss their works showing in Slow Burn | Ahu Tāmau and what the works mean to them.
Watch: Natalie Robertson talks about her series about the Waiapu River
“This whole scene, really in one image, encapsulates the devastation that’s happening because of erosion. We can see really clearly that even in a three-year period more of this erosion will cover this.... What I’m aiming to do is to elevate and amplify the voice of the taiao, the voice of the river, and the voice of the species that are at threat here, and how might we bring their voices forward.”
– Natalie Robertson
Each year, Natalie Robertson returns to her whānau land at Omaewa, Tai Rāwhiti. Over time, she has photographed the devastating impact of deforestation on the Waiapu River. Her images respond to iwi aspirations to restore the awa.
Roberston sees her practice through a whakapapa lens. Informed by oral histories, the photographs embody her ancestral ties to Waiapu and the intimate relationship her iwi, Ngāti Porou, have with this whenua.
This series is part of the exhibiton Slow Burn | Ahu Tāmau at Te Papa, 2026
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Opening 28 Feb – Slow Burn: Women and Photography
Slow Burn showcases the diversity of photography by women and non-binary artists in Aotearoa New Zealand from the 1960s to today.
Opening soon
Sat 28 Feb 2026
Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga
View works by Natalie Robertson on Collections Online
View work from Natalie Robertson (Clan Donnachaidh, Ngāti Porou) informed by oral histories, the photographs embody her ancestral ties to Waiapu, and the intimate relationship her iwi, Ngāti Porou, have with the whenua (land).