Whakairo Exhibition

Overview

This is lesson 28 of 30 in Exploring Whakairo Traditions. Students present their resolved whakairo projects in a considered exhibition, explain their intentions and processes, and gather respectful feedback from classmates and invited community members. The lesson consolidates prior learning about tikanga, cultural conventions, symbolism, material control and presentation, while preparing students for final refinement and documentation.

Learning intentions

• WALT present a resolved whakairo work using appropriate cultural conventions and exhibition practices.
• WALT explain how our material choices, patterns, symbols and processes communicate our intentions.
• WALT give and receive specific, respectful feedback using visual arts language.
• WALT evaluate how the exhibition environment affects the way an artwork is viewed and understood.

Success criteria

• I can present my work safely and respectfully, with an appropriate title and artist statement.
• I can explain links between my work, whakairo traditions, my research and my personal intention.
• I can identify specific strengths and useful next steps in another artist’s work.
• I can respond thoughtfully to feedback and record one refinement for the final lesson.

Curriculum links

• Produce a resolved work that demonstrates control, sustained control or facility with skills appropriate to cultural conventions.
• Produce a systematic body of work that shows understanding of art-making conventions and ideas within design or painting, where relevant to each student’s folio.
• Demonstrate understanding of methods and ideas from established practice appropriate to painting, including how artworks are made, viewed and valued.
• Demonstrate understanding of artworks in relation to their physical environments, including how placement, purpose and surroundings influence meaning.

Lesson structure (120 minutes)

1. 0–10 min · Welcome and exhibition purpose. Teacher opens with the exhibition opening slides, establishes the exhibition theme and reminds students that whakairo traditions carry cultural knowledge and require respectful engagement, accurate attribution and care with tikanga. Students silently review their intention and identify one feature they want viewers to notice.

2. 10–25 min · Curatorial briefing and preparation. Teacher models how to position a work, protect surfaces, display supporting research and introduce an artist statement without claiming knowledge that is not theirs; distribute the exhibition feedback and reflection sheet and explain the feedback protocol. Students collect their finished work, label it with name or agreed identifier, title, materials, intention and relevant influences, then prepare their display area.

3. 25–45 min · Installation and walkthrough. Teacher supports students to select an appropriate location, checking stability, lighting, spacing, accessibility and safe handling of tools or carved surfaces; return to the installation checklist slides as needed. Students install their work, place their statement and process evidence nearby, and complete a quiet gallery walkthrough to check whether the arrangement communicates their intended meaning.

4. 45–70 min · Exhibition opening and artist kōrero. Teacher welcomes invited whānau, kaumātua, staff or community members where available, acknowledges the cultural context of the unit, and facilitates short presentations. Students deliver a two-minute kōrero explaining their intention, research or established practice influences, materials, techniques, challenges and one way the physical setting supports the work; audience members ask questions using the prompts on the artist kōrero and audience-question slides.

5. 70–95 min · Feedback gallery. Teacher groups students into rotating pairs or trios and reminds them to comment on evidence rather than personal taste, using the structure “I notice…”, “This communicates… because…” and “A possible next step is…”. Students view at least four works and complete feedback on the exhibition feedback and reflection sheet, focusing on control of materials, cultural conventions, communication of ideas, presentation and relationship to the exhibition environment.

6. 95–110 min · Peer discussion and artist response. Teacher pauses the exhibition for a structured discussion, inviting students to share one comment that confirmed their intention and one comment that extended their thinking; use the discussion and critique prompts to maintain depth and respect. Students discuss feedback with their partner, ask clarifying questions, and record which suggestions they accept, question or will investigate before the final lesson.

7. 110–120 min · Evaluation and pack-down. Teacher leads a final viewing of the exhibition and reminds students that resolved work is complete when it realises an intention, while refinement may still improve presentation or documentation. Students complete the final section of the exhibition feedback and reflection sheet: “My strongest evidence of control is…”, “The exhibition environment affected my work by…”, and “One action for lesson 29 is…”. Students photograph their display if permitted, carefully pack down, return materials and leave the space ready for the next class.

Resources

• the exhibition and critique slide deck
• the exhibition feedback and reflection sheet
• Finished student whakairo works
• Display tables, plinths, stands or wall-mounting materials
• Artwork labels, artist statements and process documentation
• Pencils, clipboards and sticky notes
• Camera or school-approved device for documentation
• Cleaning materials and safe storage containers
• Visitor book or feedback collection point

Assessment

• Formatively assess each student’s artist kōrero for clarity of intention, reference to whakairo traditions or established practice, and appropriate visual arts vocabulary.
• Observe installation and peer feedback for respectful engagement, care of artworks, understanding of cultural conventions and ability to link presentation choices to meaning.
• Collect the completed reflection sheet as evidence of evaluation, response to feedback and a specific next step for lesson 29.

Differentiation

• Provide a short presentation structure on the slides and allow students to use cue cards, rehearsal with a peer or a recorded kōrero if public speaking creates a barrier.
• Offer sentence starters on the worksheet, such as “I used… because…”, “The pattern refers to…” and “The placement changes the work by…”.
• For students developing English, pre-teach terms such as intention, symbolism, process, influence, convention, resolved and environment; permit labelled sketches or bilingual planning before speaking.
• Support students with sensory, mobility or anxiety needs through a quieter viewing route, accessible display height, a defined feedback partner and the option to contribute written questions or responses.
• Extend confident students by asking them to compare how two artworks use cultural conventions differently and evaluate how the exhibition setting changes interpretation.