Kahu Design

Kahu Design- By Te Rongo Kirkwood

Kahu Design is an Auckland based studio that specialises in unique hand-made glass pieces intimately connected with nature and NZ heritage. In a world of mass produced generic, price based production, Kahu Design is inspired by a philosophy of creating meaningful connections through quality handcrafted artwork. Their pieces use symbolism to convey ideas that are important to the New Zealand story.

Black Door Gallery represents Kahu Design's Raranga and Huruhuru Collections. These series of glass works present traditional Maori weaving patterns crafted beautifully in fused glass. Fusing methods involve carefully stacking and layering thin sheets of glass to create intricate patterns. The stack is then placed inside the kiln and heated through a series of steps until the separate pieces begin to bond together. Slumping techniques are then used to create the bowl and platter forms.

The woven Māori cloak is a recurring motif in the series. The cloak is an expression of spiritual meaning often relating to ancestral whakapapa and knowledge. These glass pieces with their columns of ‘woven’ colour are an exploration and reference to universal interconnections and the underlying hidden order in nature.

Kahu Design's collection, with their columns of ‘woven’ colour and light play are an exploration and reference to universal interconnectedness and the underlying hidden order in nature.