SARA TAUTUKU ORME
S
Sara Tautuku Orme is a Tāmaki Makaurau-based social documentary portrait photographer of Māori and Pākehā heritage (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Tarawhai, Ngāti Whakaue-Te Arawa). She holds a degree in Sociology and Art History from Canterbury University and graduated with honors from Auckland Unitec (formerly Carrington) with a diploma in photography.
Her photographic practice is deeply rooted in her life experience, drawing on both feminism and biculturalism. Central to her work are whanaungatanga and building strong relationships within the communities she engages with. Her recent projects explore social and cultural identity, as well as the impact of colonialism on indigenous histories.
Sara has been recognised as a two-time recipient and merit award winner of the Contemporary New Zealand Art Awards in 2022 and 2023. She was also a finalist in the 2020 Lens Culture Global Awards. Recent group exhibitions include Mā wai Rā at Te Papa (2024), Kaumātua: Voices of Ōwairaka at Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae, Ōwairaka and Epsom Library (2024), Te Teko at Caelum Gallery in New York (2021), The Portrait at Blindside Melbourne (2022), and Look to the Future with Progressive Ideas at Thistle Hall in Wellington (2021).
Ko
Ko Pūtauaki te maunga
Ko Rangitāiki te awa
Ko Mātaatua me Te Arawa ngā waka
Ko Ngāti Awa me Te Arawa ngā iwi
Ko Ngāi Tamaoki, Ngāti Tarāwhai, Ngāti Whākaue ngā hapū
Ko Ruaihona te marae
Ko Tautuku te whanau
Nō Te Teko, Rotorua me Ōtautahi ahau
Kei Tāmaki Makaurau tōku kāinga ināianei
Ko Sara (Hera)Tautuku Orme tōku ingoa
Select exhibitions
2024 Photobooknz, Mā Wai Rā exhibition featuring new Māori photographers, Massey University
2023 Kaumātua, Voices of Ōwairka-Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae,
2022, National Contemporary Art Award finalist and award recipient
2022, Rangi-TeTeko, Caelum Gallery. New York
2022, The Portrait, Blindside, PHOTO 2022 International Festival of Photography, Melbourne
2022, Kaha, Ellen Melville centre, Womens Work, Auckland, New Zealand
2021, Underexposed, Ellen Melville centre, Womens Work, Auckland, New Zealand
2021, Look to the future with progressive ideals Thistle Hall, Women In Photography NZ_AU, Wellington, New Zealand
2021, Te Teko Womens Work Ellen Melville Centre, Auckland.
2020, She Once Said, Womens Work Ellen Melville Centre, Auckland
2016, Redemption,The Keep, Auckland
2011, Koha Te Papa, In collaboration with Ngai Tahu, Wellington
2004, Aotea Barbi, Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls Centre of Contemporary Art (CoCA), Christchurch, NZ.
Select awards, select features, press, publications, interviews
2022, National Contemporary Art Award finalist and award recipient
2021, What happened to the Maunga, Essay by Matariki Williams
2021, Guest speaker, Womens Work,
2020, Critics Choice Award Winner, Charlotte Cotton Lensculture, New York
2020, A different Lens Panel talk. Imbalance of gender in the photographic industry. Womens Work Aotearoa
2020, D-photo A pioneer in photography
2020, Growing Up Blonde and Maori
2019 Fissure & women in photography, Auckland Festival of Photography panel talk.
2019, Behind the lens of a female photojournalist. Auckland Festival of Photography artist talk.
Memberships
AIPA Vice President
Photoforum
Women In Photography Aotearoa-Australia
Womens Work Aotearoa
Nga Tamaoki me Ngati Tarawhai Ki Ruaihona
Education
University of Canterbury, Bachelor of Art History, Sociology-Feminist Studies , Ethnicity, Christchurch, New Zealand
Unitec,-Auckland .Diploma in photography. School of Photography, Auckland, new Zealand