Currently working as Curator Mātauranga Māori at Te Papa Tongarewa, Isaac is also an active practitioner of weaving and carving, with an interest in the revival, documentation, and practice of traditional Māori knowledge and techniques. Taught from childhood by his koro and later guided by many mentors, Isaac has developed a distinctive practice centred on Māori textiles, adornment, and taonga tuku iho. His works are held in the permanent collections of Pātaka Art + Museum, The Dowse Art Museum, Te Papa Tongarewa, and Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland Museum.

Alongside his art practice, Isaac has contributed widely as a curator, writer, and researcher, presenting exhibitions across Aotearoa and internationally, including Vaiei Tupuna (Adam Art Gallery, 2024), Ahu: Ngā Wairua o Hina (Te Papa, 2023), and Māori Markings: Tā Moko (National Gallery of Australia, 2019).

His writing and research on Māori weaving, harakeke, taonga Māori, and cultural heritage appear in journals, books, and online publications, and he regularly shares knowledge through interviews, lectures, and wānanga.

Isaac’s work reflects a passion for reconnecting taonga to people and place, sustaining mātauranga Māori through both practice and storytelling.

"My weaving practice is a commitment to the stories held in material, the land, and the bodies that wear or carry these taonga. Whether gathering raupō from a wetland or preparing muka with my hands, I understand each step as a form of karakia, reconnection, and responsibility. Weaving for me is both a personal and collective act of remembrance, honour, and future-making." Kairaranga Tāne - Isaac Te Awa

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