Bundanon

Nova Paul (Te Uriroroi, Te Parawhau, and Te Māhurehure ki Whatitiri, Ngāpuhi) is an artist filmmaker using early cinematic film processes, experimental film practices, and weaving traditional stories and mātauranga Māori. Her technicolour films explore ways in which film could unravel time, picture wairua and layers of whakapapa to imagine decolonial thought.

Paul’s recent B&W 16mm films are hand-processed by plant-based developers, using the leaves of the trees filmed to create a film developer. The filmic outcomes are not so much about trees but by trees, exploring ways photosynthesis, filmmaking, and spirit are intertwined and where the mauri is revealed. 

Artwork credit: Nova Paul, Rākau, 2022, 16mm colour film (still)