"Moa Oil e Lily"
Production date
2009
Description
Painting depicting a moa stencilled with the words "Moa Oil", a huia perched on a stencilled ten cent piece and several stems of lilies. The ten cent piece has a percentage symbol stencilled on it next to the number "10". Mount Taranaki is visible in the background. The lilies refer to a species of lily bred by Tuffery's grandfather, Len Tuffery, which he grew in Bell Block, Taranaki. The species was exported to South Africa and has since disappeared in New Zealand. The moa refers to Tuffery's fascination with a taxidermied moa that was on display at the Museum of New Zealand (now Te Papa). The painting makes reference to the big businesses that power the Taranaki economy, such as oil and gas, and link them to the disapperance of flora and fauna species from the landscape. Tuffery's painting highlights the impact of business and trade, developed to benefit the economy, on the environment and questions the sustainability of such practices.
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