Jimmy James Kouratoras  is a contemporary visual artist from Aotearoa, New Zealand. Over the past decade he has drawn on his 25-year experience as a scenic artist for film, focusing on exploring the indigenous sensory and storytelling spaces and practices that exist within him.

As Kouratoras produces works, he feels an increasingly strong connection to, and conversation with his ancestors, and their inherent knowledge. As this grows, he is allowing himself to ‘let go’ and operate in a more spiritual realm. Kourtoras is motivated by an interest in understanding how art can contribute to shared social consciousness and hauora (wellbeing).

At the heart of his practice is his dual Māori and Greek cultural heritage (and the respective pantheons of gods).  Living indigenous methodologies and practices, such as Māori karakia (prayer), rongoa (medicine), are central to his practice. Moving beyond the signs and symbols of identity, he is connecting to those who have guided him in the healing power of these practices. Increasingly, the words of karakia immediately trigger Kouratoras' intuitive mark-making and colour choices.

Kouratoras ' hope is that these works will carry aspects of this calming, healing energy into your home, and through this ‘conversation’, the shared values connect to contribute to echoes of deep and long-lasting positive change in the world.

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