By Moana Ellis, Local Democracy Reporting
Whanganui-based artist Matthew McIntyre Wilson has been selected for a new international textile residency connecting two UNESCO Cities of Design through ancestral textile practices.
The Textile Legacies programme will see Wilson travel to Dundee in Scotland in April, while Dundee-based designer Hannah Sabapathy will spend time in Whanganui a month earlier.
It marks the first formal creative exchange between the two cities since they achieved UNESCO City of Design status.
Wilson (Taranaki, Ngā Māhanga, Tītahi) produces work that brings together Māori cultural practices, the study of museum-held taonga and contemporary craft.
Although his whakapapa connects to Puniho and Oeo Pā in Taranaki, he is based in Whanganui and has strong ties to Kākahi, his papakāinga at the confluence of the Whakapapa and Whanganui Rivers.
He is the grandson of painter Peter McIntyre.
As part of the residency, Wilson will work with early Māori textiles held in Scottish collections.
“This residency offers a rare opportunity to deepen my work in raranga whakairo,” Wilson said.
“Engaging with early Māori textiles held in Scotland will strengthen my understanding of their histories and techniques.”
Initially trained as a jeweller at Whitireia Polytechnic and Hawke’s Bay Polytechnic, Wilson’s early practice focused on fine metalwork. This later converged with weaving knowledge learned under the guidance of master weaver and close friend Rangi Kiu.
Central to Wilson’s work is the close study of taonga Māori held in museum collections, examining hīnaki, korotete, kupenga and other woven forms.
Whanganui was named in 2021 as Aotearoa New Zealand’s only UNESCO City of Design – one of 49 worldwide – in recognition of its creativity, cultural integrity and strength of artistic tradition.
Dundee has held UNESCO City of Design status since 2014 and remains the United Kingdom’s only city with that designation.
Emma Bugden, Focal Point for UNESCO City of Design Whanganui, said the new residency reflects the value of Māori-led practice within international creative networks.
“This collaboration benefits both locations and demonstrates how smaller cities can lead in cultural diplomacy. This is the value of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network offering knowledge transfer, collaborative projects and international partnerships.”
Bugden led Whanganui’s application for City of Design status as part of her work for the district council’s economic development arm.
The residency will run from March to April 2026. The results will be shared publicly in both cities.
Awa FM – Te Reo Irirangi o Whanganui
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