Arnold Manaaki Wilson  was a pioneering Māori sculptor, educator, and cultural leader whose work helped shape the foundation of contemporary Māori art in Aotearoa. Trained in both Western art traditions and grounded in mātauranga Māori, Wilson was one of the first Māori artists to integrate customary forms and philosophies with modernist sculpture, using materials such as wood, metal, and paint to explore identity, whakapapa, and cultural resilience.

Throughout his career, Wilson was deeply committed to education and empowerment through the arts. As a teacher and mentor, he inspired generations of Māori artists to value their heritage and express it with confidence in contemporary forms. His legacy is not only seen in his influential sculptural works but also in his enduring contribution to the development of bicultural art education in Aotearoa.

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