Within a gathering space at Howick Historical Village, local contemporary artist Areez Katki offered a gentle spatial intervention inside Ararimu Valley School, in two modes that the artist has continually engaged with: textile and text.

Katki’s autobiographical essays gathered fragments of memory associated with his time growing up in, and then subsequently revisiting Howick.

Afloat overhead were 31 restored 19th-20th C. handkerchiefs that represent his current age; hand-embroidered with gestures and evocative forms, based on textual surveys of Ararimu Valley School.

Working beyond the specificity of cultural divisions, Katki suspends time in a space where universal notions of growth and identity may be contemplated.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Born in Mumbai, India, Areez Katki is a multidisciplinary artist & writer who was raised in Howick and is currently based in Tāmaki Makaurau. Drawing from historical and social research, he addresses his value for craft sensibilities through a research driven contemporary practice.

Over the duration of his career Katki has focused on the significance of textile materiality in the domestic realm and an ongoing engagement with their narratives.

It’s Never Too Late To Learn was an Arts Out East project supported by Te Tuhi and the Howick Local Board with special thanks to the Howick Historical Village.

W: areezkatki.co | IG: @areezkatki