Terence Turner (Tainui) has always made things; using object and physical form as a language to communicate story. Tere enjoys the capacity of certain objects to speak for themselves, via medium, form, and personal reference; and to hold their own place in time and culture.

Tere has a particular interest in the matau/fish hook form, in particular the gill hook an example of indigenous knowledge. The gill hook is seen today as the pinnacle of fishing innovation and is a form that Maori had been using since before European contact.

In his work with pounamu, Terence seeks to explore the fluid importance of the stone. The diverse and changing tikanga and oral traditions around the stone, as well as the stories behind each piece of rock, give it a life of its own that can be honoured and reflected in his carving.

Terence has been working as a professional sculptor within the film and conceptual arts industry for fifteen years. He was Highly Commended in the New Zealand Jade Artists’ Society biennial carving competition in 2014. In 2015 he was invited by the Suzhou City Jade Carving Association to exhibit at the Zi Gang Bei exhibition in Suzhou, China, and was awarded a bronze medal.

Tere lives and works between in Tāmaki Makaurau and Te-Whanganui-a-Tara, Aotearoa, carving jade and other materials sourced both locally and internationally.