Rowan Panther is an artist who works with muka to create beautiful lace pieces that reference her Samoan, Irish, English and Prussian heritage.
Muka is made from harakeke/ New Zealand flax. The threads are stripped from the leaves of the plant with the aid of a mussel shell and when they are washed they offer a silky and very strong fibre with which to work. (Incidentally, flax was used to make palisades during the battles of the 19th Century and the plant was strong enough to repel the cannonballs fired at them, keeping the people behind the shielding panels safe.)
In Panther’s lacework this unconventional material forces her to work slowly and within the constraints that the lengths of fibre impose. You can read more about that process and the ideas behind the works here. Exploring her heritage and genealogy (whakapapa) she works with shells, muka and metal to create wearable pieces that bring together an amazing craft.
Rowan Panther was a keynote speaker at the Costume and Textile Association of New Zealand symposium in Whangārei in September.
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