Raynor Dunn

Born in Wairoa New Zealand in 1982, Ray, schooled in Wellington and Auckland, holidayed on the river banks and in the shearing sheds of Te Reinga in Wairoa. He studied at the prestigious Maori boys Catholic boarding school, Hato Paora College, where he was grounded in Maori cultural performance, protocol, and arts, including carving. He pursued his passion in 2002, attaining a certificate in Māori Arts at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT), and by 2006 a sculptor was formed, graduating from AUT with a Bachelor of Art and Design degree majoring in Sculpture.

    Ika    (noun) fish, marine animal - any creature that swims in fresh or salt water including marine mammals such as whales. www.maoridictionary.co.nz

"Ika", like any fish, was spawned. Part of an ongoing series of work, it is the remainder of an evolutionary equation. Its minimalism adapted from the lean joys of scarcity. After the changes to fish size limits for recreational or rather pre-civilized fishermen, "ika" as icon, sprung from the depths as the fossil of industry.

Whetu (noun) star, asterisk - sometimes used for other celestial bodies, e.g. comets. www.maoridictionary.co.nz

"Nga Whetu" or "The Stars" is one of a shower of works. Minimalist, it is a relic of the now, reifying city soul, an urban repository for heavenly lights, an artistic edification of the sparks of life which, as they say, came from the stars.