Dagmar Dyck is an interdisciplinary artist, researcher, art educator and social justice advocate. She is a New Zealander of Tongan and German descent, living in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland.
Dagmar graduated from Elam School of Fine Arts at the University of Auckland in 1995 and was the first woman of Tongan descent to do so. She has spent the last 30 years regularly exhibiting nationally and internationally with her works being held in significant public and private collections in New Zealand.
Her prints and paintings are inspired by her cultural heritage and explore the textile practices of Tonga.
We talk about her experiences and views of high school art education and the current state of art education in NZ. She speaks of the communities she is connected to, how Pacifica artists have had more impact on the NZ art scene in the last 20 years and how these artists inspire her and influence her practice. She shares how her identity is a central part of her practice and we have a great discussion about her ideas around the use of cultural symbols in art and cultural appropriation.
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