Robin White: collaborator across boundaries

Jul 1

Jul 1 Robin White: collaborator across boundaries

Dame Robin White’s life and art practice for many decades has given precedence to serving a wider purpose than her own interests. Dr Haare Williams, a respected Kaumātua, educator and artist, offers the following insights in the preface he has written to the comprehensive book titled: Robin White – Something is Happening Here published last month by Te Papa Press in conjunction with the opening of a substantial exhibition of the same title at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa:

Featured image: Robin White gave the keynote address at the national commemoration for the bicentenary of the Birth of the Báb in 2019.

“The word mana springs to mind, something Robin always carried with respect, humility and reverence – virtues she extolled simply by being Robin White. She was, and will always be, a peerless exemplar of strength to the fledgling artists of her generation. Her technical virtuosity, her mastery of the precision of fine-art printing, her natural inner talent and her quiet disposition helped build a stellar reputation. Robin’s life reflects an avid intellectual curiosity, and a passion for learning new skills and techniques. When we met in the 1970s, Robin was firmly anchored in the Bahá’í Faith, and that and my Ringatū experiences became the axis for a meaningful fellowship between us…Robin’s work is like a karanga, a song of peace…Robin, a laureate of art, together with Ralph Hotere and Hone Tūwhare, laureates of paint and fine words, has left us richer…”

The introduction to the book includes the following:

“In considering White’s art, context is essential. As Nina Tonga’s interview with Ebonie and Ruha Fifita in this book reveals, White’s projects in the Pacific are anchored in the Bahá’í Faith that she shares with her collaborators, and in Bahá’í values of equality, sharing and consultation. Her art demonstrates a core Bahá’í belief: the potential for meaningful, problem-solving collaboration, across boundaries of class, colour and country.”

The web page for the exhibition summarises the exhibition as follows: “More than 50 works from across Dame Robin White’s 50-year career will form what the artist describes as a ‘family reunion’, bringing together works from 22 galleries and living rooms across the country.” We understand the exhibition will close in Wellington in September and move to Auckland in October, followed by Christchurch and Dunedin in 2023.

Robin has contributed to the Faith not only through her art projects, but in many other ways, including her extended pioneering service in Kiribati along with her husband Michael Fudakowski and children, through her service on Local and National Assemblies, and her fifteen years as a Counsellor on the Continental Board of Counsellors for Australasia. As well as being a highly respected figure in the art world, Robin is a much-loved member of the Masterton community. We congratulate Robin on her personal accomplishments.