Chevron Hassett
July – September 2019
Toi Pōneke Arts Centre is proud to announce multidisciplinary artist Chevron Hassett as the recipient of our 2019 Visual Arts Residency.
Chevron is an artist and writer who works in a variety of forms, with an attention to upholding Tikanga Māori (principles) and Kaupapa Māori (ideologies and topics).
The importance of engaging and connecting with the community is vital to the mauri of his practice and being.
Chevron will be in residence from early July and presenting his exhibition at Toi Pōneke Gallery in November 2019.
Chevron’s project will be an investigation of his home suburb of Naenae, one of the oldest state housing communities in Aotearoa, extending his ongoing interest in cultural identity, whakapapa and urbanisation.
Working with readymade sculpture, moving image and photography, Chevron will take inspiration from his upbringing by researching material and objects common to urban environments. He plans to reform the gallery space into an environment reflective of Naenae, and introduce the mana of Naenae into the space.
The panel were impressed by Chevron’s clear sense of style and recognised his career milestones so far. Speaking about the residency, Chevron states: “I am full of excitement to have received this opportunity, and with my residency I intend to nurture this internal connection I possess with my home of Naenae, and from this relationship allow for something special to form”.
Born in 1994, Lower Hutt, Chevron is of Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Kahungunu and Pākehā heritage. He holds a Bachelor of Design (Hons) from Massey University, Wellington (2016). In 2017, he was awarded the Ngā Manu Pirere Award from Te Waka Toi and Creative New Zealand.
Recent exhibitions include A Place TŪ Be, Courtenay Place Lightboxes, 2018 and The Children of Māui, MEANWHILE Gallery, 2019.
The Toi Pōneke Visual Arts Residency supports a Wellington artist to dedicate three months to a project culminating in an exhibition at Toi Pōneke Gallery. The artist receives a studio space at Toi Pōneke, a stipend, mentoring and support towards their exhibition.
This is the second time that Toi Pōneke has run the residency, artist Johanna Mechen was the inaugural recipient in 2018.
Toi Pōneke Arts Centre currently run three other residency programmes to support Wellington based arts practitioners across a variety of mediums. A Sound Art Residency in partnership with Te Kōkī New Zealand School of Music, a Dance Residency, and the Write Room Wellington Screenwriter’s Residency in collaboration with Vicky Pope and Rob Sarkies