Memento Moa 2023 Exhibition

Gary Baseman Studio is excited to announce Memento Moa, an exhibition of new works at the Suter Art Gallery in New Zealand, in 2023. Playing off the phrase “memento mori” that expresses the inevitability of death, Baseman reimagines Aotearoa, New Zealand with its unique environment and history. In this series, the artist creates a mythical land of hybrid creatures—exploring themes of migration, memory, and mortality. Memento Moa formally introduces Manny Moa as a new addition to Baseman’s cast of characters, symbolizing those loved and now lost.

Originally scheduled for display in 2020, Memento Moa has evolved to encompass themes of mortality beyond the artist’s initial ode to a loved one’s memory. Postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic that has claimed millions of souls worldwide to date, the series now has an added sense of collective grief over those lost and the devastating impact of the virus on our daily lives.