Michael Parekowhai’s exhibition at the Venice Biennale features three elegant pianos that have been installed at the Palazzo Loredan dell’Ambasciatore on the Grand Canal. The first is a Steinway finished in a luscious red gloss. Its intricate Maori carvings speak eloquently to its name: He Korero Purakau mo Te Awanui o Te Motu: story of a New Zealand river. The second and third pianos are cast in bronze and topped by two almost-mythic bulls, one in repose, the other with a slight air of menace.

The idea of cross-cultural interactions runs through the exhibition, though Parekowhai acknowledges the complexities of national identity and its representation to an international audience.

More coverage in July/August 2011 issue of Architecture NZ.