Rachel Ruckstuhl-Mann, Kāi Tahu Whānui, works across a range of media, from live in-person, and online performances, to sculptural work, to video for gallery or online viewing. Her focus is on intersections of whakapapa and domestic or urban spaces, and offering multi-layered experiences of this kaupapa to consciously engage the senses, and awareness of the physical body of an audience.
Mātauranga Māori, Somatics, and regenerative design practices are woven through Rachel's work as well as her processes, which are slow, repetitive, and collectively sourced through workshops and iterative performance spaces, as well as many hours moving in her spare room, and being aware of her physical and conscious states whilst working in her house or garden. These are the daily practices that lead into public invitations to experience expansions of movement, colour, wonder and the mundane.
She currently lives and works in Whenuapai, Tāmaki Makaurau, with her two kōtiro and partner, and a slowly evolving garden.