10 Questions with River Jayden

River Jayden is a visual artist and graphic designer specializing in digital design and large abstract canvas work. While her work is visually striking with intense color, her work is also known for her deep narratives on Māori culture; in particular, her recent canvas works look into museum repatriation. She wants people to understand colonization and the devastating impact it had not only in Māori but all indigenous cultures.

www.riverjaydenart.com | @riverjaydenart

ARTIST STATEMENT

A graduate of Yoobee College of Design, where she specialised in Graphic Design, River uses her digital art practice to create clothing and prints that are inspired by Māori culture, in particular Kowhaiwhai patterns. Her unique flair for vibrant designs makes her work highly sort after.

River left design school only to pick up the paintbrush and embark on a Bachelor of Māori Arts at Toimairangi in Hawkes Bay. Currently in her final year, where she is developing a body of work that will be exhibited in late 2023.

Alongside her studies at Toimairangi, she is also finishing her Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Art History and Māori and Indigenous Studies) at Canterbury University.

“Research is fundamental to my painting practice; it inspires me to create works that spark debate, and the narrative is politically charged”

— River Jayden

INTERVIEW

First of all, how did you begin making art? And what inspired you to pursue a career in visual arts?

My mother is an artist, and from a young age, she took me to museums and art galleries and always encouraged me to be creative. I was very fortunate to be encouraged to follow my art dreams. At 15, I got into illegal graffiti, which led to getting paid for legal murals. From there, I knew art was what I wanted to do with my life. I couldn't imagine doing anything else.

You studied art and design, and are currently working as a painter and graphic designer. Is there anything you wish you knew about contemporary art before you got started?

Just how demanding it can be, the further your career progresses, there's added pressure. Learning how to manage time between clients, paperwork, and creating final works is crucial. I've made plenty of mistakes along the way, and it's all part of it. I believe Art is a business that runs the same as any other business; only the product is different. My advice, streamline marketing, admin, sales, and merchandising so it gives you more time to create work.

Your work is highly influenced by Māori art and culture. Can you tell us more about it? And how is it reflected in your work?

Māori are indigenous peoples from Aotearoa, New Zealand. We have a rich culture that connects to our genealogies, spiritual realms, the environment, the ocean, and the land. Art is important to us as Māori. It's more than art to us as we believe our art to be a life force. We use our art in ways of weaving, carving, ta moko (traditional tattoo), kapa haka (song and dance), and painting. Our art is sacred, and we consider it a taonga (treasure); once you witness Māori culture, you will see how important our art is. It's our language p. Our whare (houses) adorn Māori art from Ceiling to floor, our clothing adorns cultural symbols, and our bodies are tattooed with marks of our genealogy. Our art is part of our DNA.
For me, learning about my Māori culture has been a healing process and a journey of self-discovery. On a broad scale, my work is about cultural identity and I use Māori narratives to shape that conversation. My recent works embody the sense of loss through colonisation; I like to magnify the devastation for Māori in order for people to understand and break down walls of ignorance.

Can you tell us about the process of creating your work? What aspect of your work do you pay particular attention to?

I pay particular attention to the research aspects of my creative practice. My narrative is about looted cultural antiquity that's now displayed at the British Museum, which was taken in the efforts of colonization by the British Empire. It's crucial that my research around these narratives are correct. That research then inspires my creative works. Without the research, I have no narrative.
In terms of creating work, I spent a lot of time drawing and looking at light sources and forms. That's where I base my foundations, however, my research and narrative will guide me throughout the rest of the work.

The Extension of Genealogy, 2022 © River Jayden

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

I've been disconnected from my culture and I always felt like a tourist in my own country at times as I never truly understood what it was to be Māori. I decided I would immerse myself in learning about my culture and discovering my genealogy.
Through looking at the process of colonisation of Māori culture, I began to understand the loss and devastation Māori had encountered from The British Empire.
There was deliberate enforcement to eradicate Māori, and through sheer determination, Māori never gave in.
My work represents the struggle against colonialism and the empowerment of rising through oppression. Whilst the narrative is raw, political, and controversial, it's history.
I aim to open dialogue for the audience and create discussion, and I understand not everyone will agree with me. Regardless, it's my job to keep the conversation going.

You mostly work with painting. Why did you choose this medium? And what does it represent for you?

I feel freedom when painting, there's no rules or boundaries. It's you and the canvas, and there's something really beautiful about that. Paint adds vibrancy, emotion, texture, space, form, light, etc. it adds so much character. I feel like paint is just an extension of me, paint pulls the emotions out of me and places them on a blank canvas.
Painting has pulled me out of the darkest times in my life, only to turn my emotion and pain into something painstakingly beautiful.

Is there a piece you consider a "breakthrough" in your career?

In 2019, my hometown of Christchurch experienced the mosque shootings in which we tragically lost 51 beautiful souls in the terrorist attack. Christchurch is small, and it traumatised the entire city. It was utterly devastating. I painted a piece called "Kia Kaha" and sold prints to raise funds for the survivors. It raised over 10K, and I sold prints all around Aotearoa, France, the UK, and the USA. I was so touched by the amount of support given, and it was really humbling.
We gave all the proceeds to the mosque and invited the community for a Hangi (Māori Food). We became a big family, two cultures coming together in devastation and trauma, supporting each other and understanding each other. It was a beautiful experience, something I'll remember for the rest of my life.

Do you have a role model that you've drawn inspiration from when creating your art?

It changes all the time, and I'm constantly looking at new art and artists to draw inspiration from. Yinka Shonibare is a big influence at the moment, and he stays true to his culture whilst explaining issues like slavery, colonialism, and cultural identity. His work is political, but there is a need for important conversations like Shonibares.

Is there anything else you would like to experiment with?

I definitely want to work on digital moving images/videos and experiment with projecting large-scale works onto the walls of commercial properties.

Finally, what are you working on now, and what are your plans for the future? Anything exciting you can tell us about?

Currently working on finishing a body of work that will be exhibited here in Aotearoa at the end of the year.
In 2024, I will be exhibiting internationally with a focus on Europe. It's important for me to leave Aotearoa and take my work overseas. My narrative is about educating people on Māori art and also what happened to Māori artifacts in the process of colonisation. It's crucial that I take that narrative overseas.

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