Dr. Benjamin Pittman ONZM (1947-2023) was a renowned Māori artist, educator, and cultural advocate who made significant contributions to Māori art and heritage. Born in Whangarei, he was one of the first Māori graduates to obtain both Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts degrees from the Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland. He later earned a PhD from the University of Technology Sydney.

Pittman was a respected Tohunga Toi  who served the community through numerous Māori council and marae roles. He was the secretary of Toi Iho and chair of Te Pouwhenua o Tiakiriri Kūkupa Trust Board – Te Parawhau ki Tai and Creative Northland. His involvement extended to various cultural and educational initiatives, including the Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Māori Art Gallery Project.

As a cultural leader, Pittman was deeply committed to preserving and promoting Māori heritage. He was involved in Treaty of Waitangi presentations and claims teams for Te Parawhau and Ngāti Hau. His work in Australia included developing Mana Pacific/Mana Pasifika, a cultural reclamation programme for Māori and Pacific Islanders.

Pittman's artistic journey began at age three, inspired by family stories and heritage. He became a family genealogy historian, preserving and sharing ancestral wisdom. His contributions to Māori art and culture were recognized with the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2021.

Throughout his career, Pittman emphasized the importance of te reo Māori in contemporary art practice, viewing it as the key to connecting spiritual and philosophical landscapes with the realities of being Māori. He believed in the thriving nature of contemporary Māori arts and its significance both nationally and internationally.

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