Marian Maguire at the British Museum

One of Marian Maguire's prints, from the series Titikowaru's Dilemma, is currently on display as part of the British Museum's much-praised exhibition Troy: myth and reality (21st November 2019-8th March 2020).  Like the prints in The Labours of Herakles series, Titokowaru and Te Whiti discuss the question, ‘What is Peace?’ (lithograph, 2010/11) combines a New Zealand landscape with figures inspired by Attic black-figure vase-painting, here the well known bilingual vase of Ajax and Achilles playing a game, attributed to the Lysippides and/or the Andokides Painter, c.520 BC (Boston 01.8037).  Just as the two Greek heroes seem to be enjoying a quiet moment during the Trojan War, the two Maori leaders are imagined reflecting on the nature of peace during the New Zealand Wars of 1845-72, with the iconic Mount Taranaki in the background.  Photo courtesy of Steve Hunt.