A drop-in workshop facilitated by Mitchell Manuel
Saturday 28 March
1 - 3pm
Toi Pōneke Gallery
Free
Porowhita (Mandala)
Drop in to the gallery for a short hands on session where Mitch will transform your pen drawing into a digitized version of a Porowhita (Mandala) and incorporating tartan in Adobe Illustrator. You can leave with your own printed version. No need to book. Cuba Dupa will be on so stroll in to see Mitch’s exhibition – Tartan meets Koru and meet him in the gallery. Whānau friendly.
Artist Biography
Mitch Manuel was born in Aotearoa with Native heritage, “I channel Cook Island Māori artistry into the digital realm. This art tradition merges style and function, a principle I carry forward by giving form to our cultural beliefs across time. Where my ancestors used fibre, wood, and stone, I now weave with digital patterns, creating a lasting acknowledgement to those who came before me and to the divine.”
Tartan Meets Koru
By Mitchell Manuel
21 March - 17 April 2026
By fusing the visual vocabularies of tartan and koru, Mitchell creates contemporary artifacts that celebrate the unique, composite identities forged from historical encounter. These works serve as a lens on generational change, connecting our past struggles to present strength and future possibility.
