Alex’s work is grounded in cultural connectivity—an understanding that indigenous art transcends borders and can serve as a vehicle for mutual respect and understanding between cultures.

Alex Nathan is a silversmith jeweller recognised for uniquely integrating Māori and Cretan heritage designs into his metalworking. His journey spans over thirty years, beginning with customary Māori arts before evolving into the realm of silver, a material without customary precedent in Māori art. His work encapsulates stories, explores history, and advocates for his people. His designs communicate through symbols and motifs that speak of Māori and Greek worldviews and promotes the importance of ancestral connections.

Alex’s creative journey began at boarding school in Wellington, where he was introduced to wood carving. After working in Wellington, Alex returned to his tribal rohe to learn how to ‘garden the land’ with his whānau. During this time, Alex also gained knowledge and experience carving in bone, stone and wood and worked on a variety of projects including rock carvings around Lake Taupo in 1979 and the relocation and development of Matatina marae in the early 1980s.

Alex also became involved in the Waitangi Tribunal claims process involving Te Roroa iwi and hapū land and resources. The claims process became one of Alex’s most complex and long-standing projects; the claim consumed thirteen years of unpaid negotiation to settle, by which time Alex was the last remaining negotiator for Te Roroa. He is also deeply involved in environmental and community advocacy. Alongside conservationist Stephen King, Alex established the Waipoua Forest Trust in 1998, which is responsible for ‘the Millenium Forest’, the successful replanting of native trees on 155 hectares at the southern edge of Waipoua and plays a crucial role in the protection of kauri trees.

Introduction to Native American Silver Techniques

In 1991, Alex met Hopi silversmith Michael Kabotie, who led a metal workshop in New Zealand organised by Te Waka Toi. Michael Kabotie was known for his mastery of the Hopi overlay technique—a method of creating depth in silver jewelry involving two or more layers of sterling silver and or copper, with intricate patterns cut into the top layer; the bottom layer often is oxidised to create a dark contrast, enhancing the visual impact of the design. The exposure to this method marked a turning point in Alex’s artistic career, and he began to explore silver as the primary material for his work. 

Alex perceived Native American silver working methods as a way to explore and extend Māori cultural designs via a medium with no historical precedence in Māori art. By adapting the designs of whakairo, kōwhaiwhai, tukutuku, and tāniko into layered and hand-carved silver jewellery, Alex creates unique pieces that maintain the essence of Māori art and today, is believed to be the only Māori artist using this technique.

The Spirit Wrestler Gallery and International Recognition

Alex’s exposure to Hopi silverwork also prompted him to develop his work through cross-cultural exchange. Alex was not simply seeking to learn new techniques but establish deeper connections and understandings of other indigenous cultures through art. As a result, his work celebrates Māori identity and values shared between indigenous communities.

In 1995, Alex attended the first gathering of indigenous artists at Apumoana Marae in Rotorua, which was convened by Te Ātinga, the national Māori visual arts committee of which Alex’s brother Manos Nathan, was a founding member. ‘The Gathering’ drew together existing friendships between Māori and other indigenous artists connected by Te Moananui-a-Kiwa, enabled knowledge, techniques and cultural values to be shared, and paved the way for future collaborations. Alex and his brother, Manos Nathan, attended the first Gathering, where they formed a friendship with First Nations artist Joe David. Joe introduced the brothers to Nigel Reading, Director of the Spirit Wrestler Gallery in Vancouver, who offered a platform for new forms and styles of indigenous art emerging through cross-cultural relationships to be shared and introduced to the global art market.

In 1999, Alex and Manos were invited to contribute to the Fusion, Tradition and Discovery exhibition at the Spirit Wrestler Gallery. Fusion, Tradition and Discovery was the first in a remarkable series of exhibitions documenting the rapidly evolving visual language shared by Māori and First Nations artists. Kiwa: Pacific Connections (2005) and Manawa: Pacific Heartbeat (2006) were stunning successes and cause to celebrate the remarkable relationships and nourishment shared by the artists involved. Alex recalls: