Dagmar Dyck

Dagmar Dyck (b. 1972) is a painter and printmaker of Tongan German descent. Her work is an expression of her identity and heritage as a Tongan German New Zealander. "For much of my life I have travelled extensively. Copious trips to Tonga, my parents still live there. I have made numerous visits to Germany and the surrounding European countries as well as extended periods in both the United States and South East Asia.  In all of that I am still drawn back to my Island roots, perhaps it's the fact that New Zealand feels like the meeting point of my two very different cultures - a westernised culture within the geographical sphere of Polynesia." 

Recently she has been exploring koloa within the realm of Tongan culture. Koloa are textile arts predominantly produced by women, this includes the production of bark cloth, mats and woven basketry.  "Tongan bark cloth, ‘ngatu', can be distinguished from other Polynesian bark cloth by its large size and metaphorical designs. Ngatu designs visually record a history of important events, places and people of Tonga. They objectify and celebrate the monarchy, chiefly rank, and prestige."[1] 

By depicting koloa, the traditions of her Mother's homeland, Dyck expresses a connection to her Polynesian ancestry and emphasizes the notion of community and the cultural significance of the objects she portrays. Her Tongan German heritage is also evident in her use of the cross motif which is not only an influence of the German modernist painter Mondrian but also a symbol of her faith and a recurring motif found in traditional Tongan ngatu. 

Dyck has also been inspired by the Pacific artefacts collected by European traders and settlers in the 18th and 19th centuries. She has extensively researched Polynesian archaeology books and the aesthetic of early European engravings and etchings is referenced in the way that Dyck isolates objects on a flat background and in her fine detailing of form. Unlike early European illustrations Dyck's paintings of traditional artefacts are imbued with the culture in which they belong. 

Dyck explores the theme of Polynesian navigation and highlights the history of exchange between Pacific Island nations. "My artistic journey has seen me spend hours pouring over books, magazines and articles pertaining to Oceanic arts and artefacts.  I have great admiration for the resourcefulness and design skills of my ancestors."

Dyck completed her post graduate Diploma in Fine Arts at the University of Auckland, Elam School of Fine Arts in 1996. She has exhibited throughout New Zealand and Australia.  She is represented by Okai oceanikart in Auckland, Flagstaff on the North Shore, Lesa Gallery in Wellington, Catchment Gallery in Nelson and Salamander Gallery in Christchurch.  

Represented by Okaioceanikart in Auckland and Williams Gallery in Wellington

[1] ‘From the Stone Age to the Space Age in 200 Years' by Adrienne L. Kaeppler