Piri Cowie
He uri a Piri o Kāti Huirapa, ko Uruao, ko Takitimu, ko Araiteuru ngā waka. Ko Kāi Tahu te iwi. I te taha o tōna hākui ko Ngāpuhi me Ngāti Kahu ōna iwi.
Artist Statement
Piri Cowie primarily works as a sculptor, her works include artistic expressions in paint, bronze, rākai, fabric design and more recently uku. Her artworks have been exhibited nationally and internationally. Piri has completed several public art commissions, for Te Rūnanga ō Ngāi Tahu, honouring tuna (eels); and her steel sculpture “Kirihao - Resilience” is situated at the Pita Te Hori Centre, Ōtautahi, Christchurch. She also created seven bronze eels for “Te Hononga,” the Christchurch Civic building. From 2014 to 2015 Piri completed integrated art designs at Tākaro ā Poi, Margaret Mahy Family Park, Christchurch. Piri has developed her art practice through attending International Indigenous Visual Artist Gatherings in New Zealand and the United States. In 2023 Piri created a series of uku, clay sculptures titled “Kā Hao '' with tohunga Kaihanga Uku artist and mentor Baye Riddell, for Tuhiraki the new AgResearch building in Lincoln, New Zealand.
Mauri Toi, Mauri Ora.
