Davina Duke

Davina Duke (born 1975) is a Māori contemporary clay artist from New Zealand. She was included as an example of a contemporary Māori artist in the 'teacher guidance' section of the NCEA Visual Arts Standard 1.1 entitled Ngā taonga.

Family background Duke is of Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Rehua, Taitokerau, and Patuharakeke descent. She was born in Auckland in 1975, but spent her time practising in Takahiwai and Bay of Islands in a head of arts department position at a secondary school. Her son, Marino Duke, attributes much of the inspiration for his career as a Māori graffiti artist to his mother and her mentors, including Manos Nathan.

Career Duke began her artistic career by studying at NorthTec Whangārei in the 1990s and gaining knowledge and skills from artists Geoff Wilson, Manos Nathan, and Colleen Waata Urlich.

Duke experiments with the materiality of clay and its relationship with the land that she whakapapas to, Tai Tokerau and Takahiwai. She uses layers of varying texture and finish on her pieces, 7 October 2016 – 29 October 2016 Wā Hine Jamie Berry, Jo Tito, Erena Koopu, Sarah Kane-Matete, Elizabeth Kerekere, Terangi Roimata Kutia-Tataurangi, Lina Marsh, Ana Te Wahiti, Peata Larkin, Tawera Tahuri, Davina Duke, Charlotte Graham, and Reremoana Sheridan Mixed Media Paulnache Gallery, Gisborne 3 June 2017 – 27 August 2017 Whenua Hou: New Māori Ceramics Aaron Scythe, Dan Couper, Davina Duke, Hana Rakena, Hera Johns, Jess Paraone, Stevei Houkamau, and Tracey Keith Uku (clay), white raku clay Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery 12 June 2020 – 12 July 2020 Te Kahui o Matariki He Toi Whakairo He Mana Tangata Darcy Nicholas, Wi Taepa, Manos Nathan, Colleen Waata Urlich, Sandy Adsett, Lewis Gardiner, Derek Lardelli, Baye Riddell, Alex Nathan, June Grant, Wendy Whitehead, Hiwirori Maynard, Frances Stachl, Hemi MacGregor, Teresa Murray, Diane Prince, Todd Couper and Roi Toia, Susan Point, Rhonda Halliday, Maude Cooke-Davies, Davina Duke, Noelle Jakeman, Kohai Grace, Sonia Snowden and Hemi Sundgren Mixed Media Toi Matarau Gallery, Ōtaki 14 November 2020 – 5 December 2020 Noho Puku Carlette Flavell, Noelle Jakeman, Hera Johns, Annejennette Maki, and Davina Duke Mixed Media The Uku Shack, Takahiwai Rd 5 December 2020 – 9 May 2021 Toi Tū Toi Ora: Contemporary Māori Art Sandy Adsett, Hiria Anderson, Reweti Arapere, Margaret Aull, Erena Baker, Gabrielle Belz, Israel Tangaroa Birch, Buster Black, Chris Bryant-Toi, Tangimoe Clay, Paerau Corneal, Shane Cotton, Natalie Couch, Davina Duke, Bethany Edmunds, Vanessa Wairata Edwards, Zena Elliott, Elizabeth Ellis, John Bevan Ford, Jacqueline Fraser, Darryn George, Steve Gibbs, Star Gossage, Brett Graham, Charlotte Graham, Fred Graham, Lyonel Grant, Ayesha Green, Ngahuia Harrison, Chris Heaphy, Ngaahina Hohaia, Rangituhia Hollis, Ralph Hotere, John Hovell, Lonnie Hutchinson, Ana Iti, et al. Mixed Media Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki 8 November 2024 – 2 March 2025 Whenua Whatu: Māori Ceramics from The Dowse Collection Paerau Corneal, Davina Duke, Stevei Houkāmau, Tracy Keith, Manos Nathan, Hana Rakena, Baye Riddell, Aaron Scythe, and Wi Taepa Uku (clay) The Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt +SoloDateTitleMediumLocationSourceUnknownLarge Terracotta VaseTerracotta clay, 21 x 26cmAuckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki 2014Ipu PuhoroUku (clay)Kokiri Putahi 2014 7th Gathering of International Visual Artist Exhibition

Projects

In 2012, Duke was one of 100 Maori and Pacific artists representing Aotearoa at the 11th Festival of Pacific Arts in the Solomon Islands in July, attending as a member of Ngā Kaihanga Uku collective. In 2013, she organised a three day long mural project with three Kamo High School students and five graffiti artists.

In 2017, Duke, alongside other clay artists Rhonda Halliday, Noelle Jakeman, Dorothy Waetford, and print artist Jasmine Horton attended the "Tears of DukwibahL" convention for Indigenous artists worldwide in Olympia, Washington State, at the Evergreen State College Longhouse Education and Cultural Centre. With the assistance of Creative New Zealand, eight artists from Ngā Kaihanga Uku also attended.