18 Facts About Bob Jahnke

Robert Hans George Jahnke was born on 1951 and is a New Zealand artist and educator, well-known for his graphic and sculptural artwork.

Bob Jahnke is a professor at Massey University, founding Toioho ki Apiti in 1991, the Maori visual arts degree programme in New Zealand.

Bob Jahnke was born in 1951 in the Gisborne region and grew up in Waipiro Bay.

Bob Jahnke's heritage is Maori, Samoan and Pakeha and he affiliates with the iwi Ngati Porou through three hapu: Ngai Taharora, Te Whanau a Iritekura, and Te Whanau a Rakairoa.

Bob Jahnke has German and Irish ancestry on his Pakeha side.

At Ardmore Teachers' College in Papakura in 1970, Bob Jahnke was formally taught painting, ceramics and art history and realised he wanted a career in the arts.

Bob Jahnke studied industrial design at Elam in Auckland starting in 1972, and went on to complete two master's degrees: a Master of Fine Arts in graphic design from Elam; and a Master of Fine Arts in experimental animation from the California Institute of the Arts.

Bob Jahnke has a Doctor of Philosophy from Massey University, supervised by Professor Mason Durie and awarded in 2006.

In 1991 under Professor Mason Durie's direction, Bob Jahnke started Toioho ki Apiti, School of Maori Art at Massey University in Palmerston North.

Bob Jahnke was one of the initial tutors along Kura Te Waru Rewiri and Shane Cotton.

In developing the programme Bob Jahnke describes changing the canons of "Euro-centric art education" for one that privileged a matauranga Maori conceptual foundation.

Bob Jahnke is a Professor of Maori Visual Arts and PhD supervisor at Toioho ki Apiti.

Bob Jahnke's artwork is usually political commenting on past, present and future colonisation and the impact of Christianity on Maori culture.

Bob Jahnke's artwork is held in the collections of The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and the Auckland City Art Gallery.

Bob Jahnke is involved with Matakura Maori Art Education Trust, a collective of "Maori art educationalists, writers, critics, historians and curators".

Bob Jahnke is a trustee of the Maori arts trademark charitable trust Toi Iho, and was part of launching the Toi Iho trademark in 2002, which aims to highlight authentic Maori art and artists.

Bob Jahnke won the paramount award at the 2019 Wallace Art Awards.

In 2023, Bob Jahnke received an Arts Foundation of New Zealand Laureate Award.