Louisa Humphry

Louisa Murdoch Humphry (born 1952) is an I-Kiribati artist and master weaver with over thirty years of experience. Humphry grew up in Kiribati and now resides in New Zealand. In 2019, her work was recognised with a Pacific Heritage Artist Award alongside Kiribati artist Kaetaeta Watson at the Arts Pasifika Awards. In 2021, she was appointed an honorary Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the Kiribati community and culture.

Early life Humphry was born on Kuria (Kiribati) in 1952, she grew up in Kiribati and at age 16 was awarded a scholarship to study in New Zealand. At the end of her studies she went back to Kiribati for family reasons. After she got married her and her husband returned to New Zealand in the early 1970s. When she was in New Zealand as a teenager she saw woven war armour from Kiribati displayed at the Auckland War Memorial Museum and describes it as a 'pivotal moment' for her. Some fibres she works with include pandanus, kie kie and harakeke. This project was supported by Creative New Zealand and the British Museum, and the work was presented at the Asia-Pacific-Triennial in 2018. This art work was subsequently purchased by The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, and is held in their permanent collection.

In acknowledgment of their efforts of "maintaining, reviving and promoting a Pacific heritage artform in New Zealand", Humphry and Watson received the 2019 Pacific Heritage Artist Award of $10,000 at the Arts Pasifika Awards. It was about ways the artists sustain their practice, which is mostly outside of formal institutions. The exhibition also had work by Sosefina Andy, Nikau Hindin, Wikuki Kingi, Pacifica Mamas, Kaeteata Watson and The Veiqia Project, and was curated by Ioana Gordon-Smith.

Personal life Humphry is married to an Englishman, Jack Humphry, and they have several children who were born in New Zealand. They live in Thames.