ABOUT

Ko Moetonga te maunga

Ko Te Whangaroa te awa

Ko Mahuhu-Ki-Te-Rangi te waka

He uri ahau nō Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Hine me Ngāpuhi hoki

Ko Josh Kiwikiwi tōku ingoa

Josh is a versatile self-taught artist, who intricately weaves human expression and cultural narratives into his work. Drawing inspiration from his Māori heritage and other indigenous cultures, his artistic journey is a visual exploration of storytelling.

Using diverse mediums such as oils, acrylics, graphite, airbrushing, sculpture, and digital art, Josh navigates through realism, abstract, and contemporary styles. His current focus is to meld these various influences into a cohesive body of work, a harmonious fusion of styles driven by a profound love for cultural expression.

Hailing from Whangārei, Northland, NZ. Josh aspires to carve out a sustainable future as a full-time artist, allowing him the freedom to immerse himself in his artistic endeavours fully. Overcoming a two-year art block and a hiatus from illustration and painting, he stands ready to share his revitalised creativity with his community and the wider Ao (world).

“A pivotal question I have asked myself for the past few years is; Am I an artist who is Māori?, or am I a Māori artist?” This has led Josh to leave behind a career in retail management, embarking on a passionate pursuit to answer this query that has lingered in his mind for too long.

In 2022, his ongoing body of work "the Wāhine in Gold” series, achieved recognition, securing a place among the top 50 Māori-made products in Aotearoa. While past opportunities in London and New York, where Josh was invited to exhibit, were halted by the pandemic in 2018-2019, he looks forward to unfolding new chapters and creating new horizons in 2024 onwards.

Discover the diversity of Josh's mahi (work) where he invites you to engage in a narrative where tradition melds with modernism and culture finds expression on canvas.

Mauri ora!