Dunedin School of Art ‘opened the world’ for graduate Isaiah Okeroa

Isaiah Okeroa is a Dunedin-based mixed media artist, whose multisensory installation pieces reflect on te ao Māori.

Isaiah began a Bachelor of Visual Arts in 2020 at the age of 19 and found art school the perfect place to discover and develop his strengths. 

“Art school has helped me recognise my own voice. My perception of art school was ‘I’m going to learn how to paint and learn how to draw’ but it is so much more than that. The structure was customised to each student, and each student is nourished through their individual journey.”

Moving away from home in Invercargill and starting art school in Dunedin was a big transition, one that Isaiah said opened him to learning more about his cultural identity. There was one project in particular that shifted Isaiah’s sense of purpose.

“We were asked to make our own instrument, and then create a composition using that instrument. I made a wind harp—well, my interpretation of a wind harp. It was amazing. I was using the harp to channel the wind through me and using myself as a medium to communicate what the wind was making me feel, to connect with Tāwhirimātea.

“And then my supervisor, Michael Morley, told me that the nature of this instrument can be seen as a form of taonga pūoro.”

Taonga pūoro are traditional Māori instruments, which have experienced a revival since the 1990s thanks to a dedicated effort to recover and share the knowledge and skills needed for these art forms.

“It sparked a reaction in me, and this introduction to taonga pūoro led me to a whakapapa methodology in terms of how I was going to create. I used a seal tooth to make sound and that was truly the ‘Eureka!’ moment: this is how I’m going to move forward in my identity, as an artist, and this was so important for me to discover and uncover for myself. And it was all prompted by this one art school project.”

Isaiah continues to develop work that explores te ao Māori and has developed a reputation for his moving image and sound installations. His final project for the Dunedin School of Art included projecting images onto a flax screen, introducing texture and smell into the mix. His work has since been exhibited in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery’s Rear Window display and in Auckland.

While Isaiah was developing his art practice at Otago Polytechnic, he also connected with Te Punaka Ōwheo, the Māori Student Success office.

“Te Punaka Ōwheo is amazing, it actually makes me a little sad to no longer be a student here, although I’ll always be part of that whānau. They made me feel very comfortable, so it was always easy to reach out.”

Art has taken Isaiah to unexpected and exciting places.

Since graduation he has been involved with Creative Impact Lab, a project that addresses indigenous methodologies towards climate change, which led to Isaiah being part of the 2024 International Symposium on Electronic Art in Brisbane, Australia.

“This time last year, I had no idea that going to Australia would be on the cards. It was a huge opportunity.

“But you know, putting art out there is a way of making a statement but also putting joy and beauty into the world for other people to experience. It’s a way of enlarging the self and bringing in other people through meaningful communication and connection.”

As Isaiah expands and explores his art practice, he continues to be a part of the extended Dunedin Art School network.

“The Dunedin School of Art has really supported me not only through art school, but also post-graduation. They have been very active in support of my growth. I am still developing and unfolding, and Art School has literally opened the world to me.”

Isaiah completed his Bachelor of Art Honours but hasn’t stopped learning. He has been taking courses on te reo Māori and a university paper on performance.

In the future, Isaiah hopes he can contribute towards the revival of taonga pūoro, te reo Māori and te ao Māori.

“That feels like the dream to me—to pass that knowledge on.”

Isaiah recommends the Dunedin School of Art as a place to develop new skills, grow as an artist, and find direction.

“Honestly, art school was the best decision I made in my life.”