Onion pickers celebrated in art - come see the exhibition
What is an iconic image that makes you think of Pukekohe?
For many of us it is onion pickers, backs bent over the brown soil in the surrounding fields.
Now this annual part of our rural heritage has been celebrated in art.
Iokapeta Magele-Suamasi has contributed Onion Picker, a mixed media installation which is a centrepiece to the Heterodox Us exhibition at the Franklin Arts Centre.
For many school holidays in the 1970s and 1980s Magele-Suamasi would come with her parents and seven siblings to toil in the onion and potato fields around Franklin.
It has left an indelible memory, which she transformed into an artwork which has in turn evoked memories and started conversations among gallery visitors.
Two rows of onion sacks run through the gallery, each emblazoned with anecdotes shared by Magele-Suamasi’s siblings when she told them she was creating this work.
They capture the hard work of picking: ‘‘Everything and everyone smells like onions’’; ‘‘and then the sound of onion clippers all day until sunset’’ but also the sense of family and togetherness that the days of picking brought: ‘‘glass gallon bottles filled with orange cordial drinks’’ and ‘‘pain, endurance, teamwork, pride.’’
Come in and see the exhibition for yourself:
Heterodox Us
Franklin Arts Centre, Pukekohe
Runs till June 18
Poll: Would you use a pet cemetery?
Dave Stephens has created a pet cemetery on his land.
The 10-acre site in Albany, Auckland, features graves nestled among beautifully manicured gardens and unique art pieces, offering a serene space where visitors can pay their respects in their own way.
Is this something you think you would use? Share your thoughts below.
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0% Yes
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0% No
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0% Other - I'll share below
Masks of self workshop
Masks of self workshop - led by Artist Robbi Carvalho and Dance Therapist Sarah Dos Santos
When: Saturday 22 March
Time: 10am - 2pm
Location: Franklin Arts Centre
'Masks of Self' is a workshop designed to explore Brazil’s cultural roots through art, movement, and dance, focusing on themes of identity and self-discovery. Brazilian culture is a vibrant mix of African, Indigenous, and European influences. Masks symbolise various aspects of this heritage, representing forces of nature, mythical creatures, ancestors, and ceremonial traditions, as well as regional expressions and carnival festivities.
Led by multidisciplinary artist Robbi Carvalho and dancer/dance therapist Sarah dos Santos, the workshop offers a supportive space for participants to explore their identity through painting and movement, grounded in Brazilian cultural traditions.
This 4-hour workshop provides a transformative experience that combines creativity, cultural reflection, identity exploration, and self-discovery. Participants will paint their own masks and learn Afro-Brazilian dance movements.
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