(b Arapuni, NZ, 1928). Maori sculptor. His tribal affiliation is Ngati Koroki, Ngati Raukawa. Graham studied art at Ardmore and Dunedin Teachers' College, subsequently becoming one of the young Maori artists who worked under Pine Taiapa. He began carving in 1962, stimulated by the belief that Maori artists needed to retain traditional skills and techniques and understand the symbolic meaning within carvings. However, as a result of working with a group of artists who were increasingly interested in new materials and styles, he chose to move away from traditional carving, to enable him to use a far wider range of materials, including stone, stainless steel and copper, as well as native and exotic woods: this versatility reinforced his insistence that he was a sculptor rather than a carver. After his first exhibition in 1966, Graham showed his work extensively, contributing to many exhibitions throughout New Zealand and in other countries. His works, many of which take the form of large commissions, focus on a wide range of issues, including the Treaty of Waitangi (1840), Maori protest at the loss of land, and historical themes of interest to Maori people.
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