Matthew McIntyre Wilson extracts muka fibre from a Dundonian harakeke plant at the University of Dundee’s Botanic Gardens, April 2026.
Whanganui X Dundee: Textile Legacies
Whanganui X Dundee: Textile Legacies is a residency programme that connects indigenous and ancestral textile practices between Whanganui, New Zealand and Dundee, Scotland to foster meaningful cultural and creative exchange. The project initiates a new connection between two UNESCO Cities of Design, supporting the development of contemporary textile design specialists through reciprocal international residencies.
The long-standing textile traditions of Whanganui and Dundee are powerful expressions of place-based cultural identity. At the same time, these histories also carry complex legacies — including the impacts of colonisation, war, and cultural suppression — which have shaped and, at times, disrupted cultural development. In the resurgence of traditional textile techniques in both cities, we see not only a reconnection to ancestral knowledge, but also a recognition of how design heritage continues to shape contemporary identities and creative practices.
Both cities simultaneous ran and managed an open call to select the designers. To find out more about this process, please view our open call document here. The 2026 Textile Legacies residents were:
Hannah Sabapathy
Photography by Grant Anderson.
Hannah Sabapathy is an artist and researcher based in Dundee, Scotland. She trained as a printed textile designer, and uses pattern and a variety of materials to interrogate the power dynamics behind South Asian and British textile design history.
She is currently a Leeds Opportunity Research Scholar undertaking a practice-based PhD at The University of Leeds. Hannah’s series of fourteen vitreous enamel panels for the 20/20 Residency with The Decolonising Institute, University of Arts has been acquired by The Harris Museum Preston and are on display at the newly reopened museum. Other recent commissions have been a collaborative light projection of Kashmiri textiles from the Cultural Institute, University of Leeds for Leeds Light Night.
She has undertaken residencies at Hospitalfield, Dundee Contemporary Arts Print Studio and Cove Park, as well as The Harris Museum.
Matthew McIntyre Wilson
Matthew McIntyre Wilson (Taranaki, Ngā Māhanga, Tītahi) is a practitioner whose work brings together Māori cultural practices, museological inquiry, and contemporary craft. Based in Whanganui, his practice is grounded in a sustained commitment to revitalising ancestral knowledge while expanding the possibilities of object-making today. Trained initially as a jeweller at Whitireia Polytechnic and Hawke’s Bay Polytechnic, his early focus on fine metalwork later converged with the weaving knowledge he learned under the guidance of master weaver and close friend Rangi Kiu. This convergence created a distinct practice in which jewellery and fibre technologies intertwine, enabling him to create intricately woven forms such as kete, tātua, armbands, and kākahu using both customary and contemporary materials.
Matthew’s whakapapa links to Puniho and Oeo Pā in Taranaki, and his papakāinga at Kākahi, where the Whakapapa and Whanganui Rivers meet. The environmental and cultural histories of these places continue to shape his thinking, informing his relationship to the natural world and to the stylistic and conceptual foundations of his work. The artistic legacy of his grandfather, painter Peter McIntyre, further deepened his connection to place and observation.
Central to his practice is the study of taonga held in museums. Through close examination of hīnaki, korotete, kupenga, and other woven objects, he re-engages with the embedded knowledge systems carried within their construction. This research underpins his ongoing exploration of how traditional technologies and design principles can be reactivated in contemporary contexts, forming an artistic language that honours generational knowledge while responding to present-day conversations around identity, museology, and cultural continuity.
Hannah Sabapathy visited Whanganui, New Zealand from March-April 2026. During her residency, Hannah presented about her work and research to an audience at Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery, and met with curators at Whanganui Regional Museum, Auckland Art Gallery, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Auckland Library, Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand, and the National Library of New Zealand.
Additionally, Hannah learnt from local designers and makers, particularly Purewa Hodge, one of Aotearoa’s most prominent Muka/Raranga artists, and costume designer Lee Williams of Paetuia Studios. A gallery of images from Hannah’s residency are available to view below:
Upon returning to Scotland, and as part of Dundee Month of Design 2026, Hannah presented ‘Bad Specimens: Cuttings and Swatches in Aotearoa Archives’ a talk discussing her learnings from Whanganui. This included research into tapa cloth (also known as bark cloth), harakeke (also known as NZ flax) and “bad plant specimens”. A recording of this presentation is available below:
“We were delighted to host Hannah Sabapathy through the Tylee Cottage Residency Programme. As the programme is primarily focused on supporting New Zealand practitioners, the opportunity to welcome an international artist was particularly valuable, connecting us to Dundee and enriching the residency experience for our local creative community. Hannah made a significant contribution during her time in Whanganui, generously sharing her knowledge and practice with locals, including an insightful public talk at the Gallery.”
– Greg Donson, Senior Curator, Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery
Tylee Cottage, Whanganui.
Matthew McIntyre Wilson visited Dundee, Scotland throughout April 2026. During his residency, Matthew as joined by Kim Turford, Learning Curator at Dundee Heritage Trust, for an in-conversation event hosted at Steps Theatre within Dundee’s Central Library.
Throughout the residency, Matthew explored exhibitions and collections at a variety of institutions across Scotland and Ireland, including National Museums Scotland, National Museum of Ireland, The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum, Perth Museum, Dundee Heritage Trust, V&A Dundee, The Hunterian at University of Glasgow, and Museum Services at University of Dundee.
Matthew also met with a variety of makers, designers and creatives including Double Door Studios, Forgan Arts Centre, and Draff amongst so many more. Documentation posts from Matthew’s residency are available to view below:
“We really appreciated Matthew’s visit to the Collections Unit and to be able to share with him objects that are normally kept in storage. It was great to be able to learn from his knowledge and insight as a practitioner. He gave us new information about the objects-how they were made, the species of bird feathers used in their construction and their cultural meanings. He helped us to see the objects in new ways.”
– Christina Donald, Curator (Early History), The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum
Matthew McIntyre Wilson with curators Julie McCombie and Carly Cooper at The McManus Collections Unit, Dundee.
Whanganui X Dundee: Textile Legacies is coordinated by UNESCO City of Design Dundee and UNESCO City of Design Whanganaui and supported by the British Council New Zealand and the Pacific’s Connections Through Culture Programme and the Scottish Government’s Scottish Connections Fund.
