Emerging Artist | Ngāi Tūhoe (Aotearoa) & ʻUtungake, Vavaʻu (Tonga)
Born in 2001, Erçan Tāmati Cairns is an emerging contemporary artist of Ngāi Tūhoe (Māori) and ʻUtungake, Vavaʻu (Tonga) heritage. Raised in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), he has quickly established himself as one of the promising young voices within Aotearoa's contemporary art landscape, creating works that explore identity, ancestry and the interconnected visual languages of the Pacific.
Erçan's practice draws on both his Māori and Tongan whakapapa, weaving ancestral knowledge with contemporary abstraction, symbolism and modern painting traditions. His work reflects an ongoing dialogue between cultural inheritance and personal expression, resulting in compositions that are both deeply rooted and distinctly contemporary.
Supported on multiple occasions by Creative New Zealand, Erçan has developed an impressive exhibition history at a young age. He presented his first solo exhibition in Remuera, Auckland in 2021, followed by a significant exhibition at The Arts House Trust in 2023. During this period, he was mentored by leading Pacific artists Fatu Feu'u, Alexis Neal, Tevita Latu, Taniela Patelo and Terje Kolomatangi. His artistic language was further enriched through guidance from respected Māori artists Donn Ratana and Emily Karaka, who introduced new approaches to Māori form, composition and visual storytelling.
In 2025, a Creative New Zealand grant supported a three-month international artist residency in Mohkinstsis (Calgary), Canada, expanding his practice through cross-cultural exchange and research. Having presented ten solo exhibitions across Aotearoa, New Zealand, Erçan now brings his evolving practice to Sydney, where he is undertaking a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the National Art School. His work continues to investigate contemporary Indigenous perspectives while building meaningful connections between Māori, Tongan and global artistic narratives.
McCarthy Gallery is proud to present Erçan Tāmati Cairns as part of its programme celebrating the next generation of Pacific and First Nations contemporary artists across Australia and Aotearoa.
