Manukau-based Samoan painter, Niutuiatua Lemalu, discusses the works in his first solo exhibition, Alias, this Saturday from 12 – 1.30pm at Fresh Gallery Otara, Otara Town Centre, Manukau City, Aotearoa New Zealand.

For more information, call Nicole on +64 9 271 6019.

Luse Nemani at the opening of "Maka Tu'u Taha" at Fresh Gallery Otara (2007)

At age 81, Lusefamanatu (Luse) Nemani passed away on Friday 13 August in Otara. Luse has been one of our biggest supporters at Fresh Gallery Otara, having seen just about every show since we opened in May 2006. Luse was a member of the original Pasifika Arts o Manukau Trust, the organisation that was behind the creation of my role as Pacific Arts Coordinator for Manukau City Council. She was a Tongan warden for the Otara Town Centre and involved in so many initiatives and projects.

Luse has been a comforting friend and advisor to me, giving me insight into her mixed cultural heritage of Tongan and Niuean, her migration and life in Otara. I always appreciated her warmth and interest in my life. She made the most beautiful garlands/lei out of recycled sheet plastic, and knitted so many people warm winter scarves; we sold her lei and crochet work in the 2006 and 2007 ‘Under $100 Art Sale’ exhibitions and she was involved in our first anniversary exhibition, Fresh Gallery Otara Turns 1!

I loved when Luse would sing; she was always intending to record an album of songs in Niuean, Tongan, Fijian and English at Otara Music Arts Centre. I wish she did. She had the softest, most beautiful voice that reminded me of old Hawaiian love songs.

I’m happy that in the past two years, Fresh Gallery Otara hosted two Tongan exhibitions that Luse loved. In February 2009, Koloa et al: Your Art is my Treasure curated by Charmaine ‘Ilaiu and Nina Tonga showcased the Tongan artforms of weaving and backcloth design. In April 2010, Tongan Style curated by Manuēsina Mahina and Kolokesa Uafā Māhina-Tuai profiled the work of five Tongan women working in the mediums of embroidery, crochet, garment construction and church fashion.

Luse didn’t mind contemporary art, but always loved when the references to customary practice were recognisable. Her readings of paintings by Kulimoe’anga Maka and Samiu Napa’a, and sculptures by Visesio Siasau and Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi, always gave us food for thought.

I miss Luse already. I will always remember her warmth and love, her generosity and insight, her cheekiness, and how she loved hearing Tongan songs sung when we would have a kava band playing at Fresh Gallery Otara openings. Her service to the Otara community sets the bar so high, and I know her passing will be felt by so many people whose lives she touched.

‘Ofa lahi atu, Luse.

Meeting Australian photographer, Gary Lee was the highlight of my time in Rarotonga. I have had a special love affair with Lee’s work since I bought the 2005 issue of Artlink with his image, Shaba on the front cover. Working with Samoan filmmaker and emerging artist Tanu Gago, we have discussed Lee’s work at length in recent months.

Nigel Borell, Ema Tavola, Maurice O'Riordan and Dan Taulapapa McMullin

The August 2010 issue of Art Monthly Australia, themed ‘OzPasifika’, was launched on Tuesday 10 August at BCA Gallery to coincide with the opening of TOP16 a solo exhibition by Janet Lilo curated by Ron Brownson. It’s an excellent issue that feels very special, including great profiles of Torika Bolatagici, Lisa Hili, Chantal Fraser, Maryann Talia Pau and Eric Bridgeman. It’s refreshing to see another Australasian art publication providing space  for Pacific and indigenous writing and response.

On my knees begging for a show!

Gary Lee, you so rocked my world!

The 10^th Pacific Arts Association (PAA) Symposium was held on Rarotonga in the Cook Islands from 9-11 August 2010. My perception was that the PAA is a Anglo-American organisation profiling the views of academics and museum curators who deal in the research, collection and investigation of objects and cultural practices of people of the Pacific region. Working at the grassroots in Pacific diaspora and Pacific proper contexts, where people and cultures are central as opposed to academia and institutions, I hadn’t envisioned that attendance or participation in this forum was a priority for me. However, funds became available and I travelled with my colleague Nigel Borell (Kaiwhakahaere – Maori Arts Advisor, Manukau City Council) and Manukau-based visual artists and educators Leilani Kake (Manukau School of Visual Arts) and Donna Tupaea (Alfriston College).

Given that the event was being held in such close vicinity to Auckland, an important centre for contemporary Pacific art, the planned attendance of actual Pacific artists was encouraging. The visibility of Pacific people, contemporary art and culture, and the amount of Pacific people involved as speakers gave me hope. Papers were to be delivered by: Hūfanga Dr ‘Okusitino Māhina, Kolokesa Uafā Māhina-Tuai, Sēmisi Fetokai Poutauine, Apolonia Tamata, Charmaine ‘Ilaiu, Dan Taulapapa McMullin, Lingikoni Vaka’uta, Fonofale McCarthy, Marilyn Kohlhase, Rosanna Raymond, Karen Stevenson and Pétélo Tuilalo.

Sēmisi Fetokai Poutauine, Hūfanga Dr ‘Okusitino Māhina and Kolokesa Uafā Māhina-Tuai

Hosted at an upmarket Rarotongan resort, Pacific people were refreshingly visible at the gathering of speakers and observers on day one. In an undersized meeting room, participants spilled out, unable to hear welcome speeches, but it was an exciting way to meet up with old friends, respected artists and Pacific thinkers – most of which were standing outside in the shade! Unfortunately, from this first session, the event’s poor time keeping became an issue and blaming poor organisation on “Rarotongan time” was irritating.

Keynote speaker, Jonathan Mane-Wheoki – Director of Elam School of Fine Arts at the University of Auckland, delivered a paper entitled, Contemporary Urban Pacific Art in Aotearoa: A Whakapapa. As a contemporary urban Pacific artist, Mane-Wheoki’s whakapapa was history heavy and showed a complete disconnect with the accelerated growth and relevance of the past many years of urban Pacific art making taking place under his nose in Auckland. History is of course relevant, but institutional perspectives of an art sector born and bred in the grassroots, are dislocated and distant.

Nigel Borell, Ema Tavola, Dan Taulapapa McMullin, Jonathan Mane-Wheoki and Leilani Kake

Ron Brownson – Senior Curator, New Zealand and Pacific Art at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gave a much more relevant insight into contemporary urban Pacific art, representing a thorough and exciting involvement and respect for his subject – West Auckland-based Māori-Samoan-Niuean video installation artist, Janet Lilo. Brownson set a high standard for delivery and research, understanding and contextual scope. His quotes were hot and constant… “narcissism of the now”… “my web shadow and me”… “you are what you share”, he had us stimulated and engaged from start to finish. We were so proud of Janet Lilo, and honour Brownson for choosing to bring Lilo’s practice into this forum.

Pétélo Tuilalo – Head of Visual Arts and Exhibitions, Agency of the Development of Kanak Culture, Tjibaou Cultural Centre, New Caledonia, followed Brownson with an equally stimulating presentation. Robes Mission: un art de la Rue? was a thematic exhibition around the missionary ‘Mother Hubbard’ dress. Tuilalo discussed the introduction and impact, visibility and context of the garment and showed images of artworks, processes, artists and the exhibition install at the Tjibaou Centre. It was refreshing to feel not only indigenous artists responding to a theme related to their own indigenous / settler cultural interface, but also that the project was conceived and implemented by an indigenous curator.

Contemporary Pacific Art and Artists was a session chaired by Dan Taulapapa McMullin; notably, the first session I attended at the PAA Symposium chaired by a Pacific Islander. The audience for this session had a strong Pacific and Māori artist presence with the likes of Leilani Kake, Angela Tiatia, Julia Mage’au Gray, Reuben Paterson, Suzanne Tamaki, Rosanna Raymond and Filani Macassey to name a few.

Jenny Fraser’s manifesto was an exciting start – she speaks frankly about the struggle of being an Aboriginal artist in Australia where only 2% of the population is indigenous. The Other APT is an excellent fringe project to the Asia Pacific Triennial (APT) held at the Queensland Art Gallery in Brisbane. Fraser introduced her land and people, her source and inspiration. Finally, an indigenous artist perspective was being presented – art as activism, problems as opportunities for progress and evidence of a Pacific / indigenous concept planned, implemented and celebrated. It felt strong and empowering and so, so relevant.

Dan Taulapapa McMullin also presented a beautiful indigenous perspective, in trademark poetic flow. McMullin used his paintings as illustrations of his thoughts, and his thoughts as contextual statements about his paintings. He is a stand-out Pacific artist, writer and film maker with a magnificent presence.

Pamela Zeplin – Senior Lecturer in Art and Design History and Theory, University of South Australia presented a paper entitled, The Pacific in the ‘Big Island’: Oceania Waves in Australia. Zeplin is an academic who has paid some attention to Pacific artists in recent times, and been involved with an effort to create some collective action calling artists to create strategies to increase exposure of contemporary art made by Pacific artists living in Australia. A recent workshop outcome was the creation of a Pacific art themed issue of Art Monthly Australia (August 2010). Zeplin introduced some of the artists involved in this initiative including Tongan painter, Sam Tupou and Fijian academic and artist, Torika Bolatagici. Unfortunately, both names were mispronounced by Zeplin as “Sam Toopoo” and “Tarikah Bolatangitchy”.

Given the opportunity to question and comment on the session, I introduced myself and thanked Zeplin for bringing the Pacific artists she mentioned into this forum and attempting to give us a historical context for their [in]visibility in the wider Australian art world. I said that I had a simple comment and wanted to correct the pronunciation of the surnames of the Fijian and Tongan artists she had mentioned. In the moment, I was overcome with emotion. I could feel myself unable to finish my sentence, so my colleague Leilani Kake supported me to articulate my point. The point was made that pronunciation is important and that there is mana in a name. It was a simple comment that followed from George Nuku, renowned Māori artist and activist, who also asked Zeplin to acknowledge some inaccuracies in her presentation of indigenous / settler historical contexts of Aotearoa. Zeplin responded to Nuku somewhat defensively, but not to me. The chair summed up my point, saying that these kind of gatherings are often sites of gross linguicide – the butchering of our Pacific languages, he acknowledged my emotion as symbolic of the pain of being misrepresented.

I firmly believe that attention to correct pronunciation is a decision based on respect. I commend Australian writer, Jacqui Durrant, for asking me to guide her through the phonetic pronunciation of Bolatagici – a difficult name, admittedly, for English speakers. She noted that she had never heard Bolatagici’s name pronounced correctly. Other speakers incorporating Fijian words and names, Stephen Hooper and Charmaine ‘Ilaiu, did an impressive job.

In retrospect, for the sake of Zeplin’s ego, my comment could have been made in person, but the message of my comment, was for the entire forum. My emotion did not represent weakness. It represented anger and love… honesty and the weight of my communities, as a Fijian and a curator, as a Pacific person, and as an artist, as someone who proudly represents Pacific people always with integrity and strength.

There were other papers at the PAA that represented a positive engagement with Pacific people, both real and meaningful. Non-Pacific academics such as Marion Cadora (Post-Graduate student, University of Hawai’i) and Anita Herle (Senior Curator for Anthropology, University of Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge, England) presented papers showing research and respect, sharing and empowerment. There is no doubt that many PAA members often dedicate and invest their lives and energies into efforts to support the sustainable development of Pacific people. In these instances, a system of reciprocity is employed where “the source” is an equal beneficiary to the findings and outcomes of Pacific cultural research and enquiry. This model is admirable. Unfortunately, forums like this also attract academics who still have a subtle undertone of colonial exploitation. Fortunately, this seems to be exposed when face-to-face with actual Pacific people, able to articulate Pacific thought to respond and challenge.

On day three, Australian academic Pamela Zeplin made her thoughts known to an indigenous artist, who shared with me her experience of being used as a sounding board for Zeplin’s ego. Yes Pamela Zeplin, blackfellas talk.

Zeplin proclaimed that my comment following her presentation represented someone who was “immature and hysterical”.

Whilst immediately angered by her amazingly patriarchal response to my comment and hurt by her judgmental attack on me and everything and everyone I represent, her position is exposed. Incidents like this illustrate the difference between people who work with Pacific art and artists for love and service versus currency and academic difference. My Pacific colleagues have shared with me their sadness and support, and my Australian colleagues have helped me to understand the position of Australian patriarchal white supremacy and cultural dominance. When Pacific art and culture is my heart, my work and the language of service to my people, it’s easy to forget the special needs of our region’s colonial settler communities.

Zeplin is celebrated for holding the hand of the marginalised other; leading them into the white light, but her response to an indigenous voice is seriously disturbing.

Native gathering

The PAA gave us an opportunity to gather and share our work, as Pacific artists. On day three, sick of dominant culture discourse, the natives gathered and told stories of conferences past. For my colleague Leilani Kake and I, Vaka Vuku: Pacific Epistemologies in 2006 hosted by the University of the South Pacific in Fiji was a benchmark Pacific discourse event; held in the Pacific, for the Pacific. Rosanna Raymond, respected Pacific artist and writer, told of her experience of being told she was a “naughty girl” after being “sshhh’d” at the PAA Symposium in Massachusetts, at the age of 40.

Native floorshow

The conference closed with a dinner accompanied with savagery and fire, the native floorshow reminded me of the Brook Andrew work “Sexy and Dangerous” (1996)

"Sexy and Dangerous" (1996) by Brook Andrew

There were three excellent exhibitions shown during the PAA Symposium. Nanette Lela’ulu showed an impressive body of large-scale portraits and small-scale landscapes at The Art Studio, a beautiful collection of tivaevae was shown at a community hall, and Auckland visual artist, Janet Lilo had a solo showing at BCA Gallery. Lilo’s show curated by Ron Brownson, incorporated the video project small axe09 produced for Fresh Gallery Otara for the invitational 2009 New Artists Show at Auckland’s ARTSPACE.

Tanu Gago is a south Auckland-based Samoan filmmaker who I’m working with to produce his first solo exhibition, YOU LOVE MY FRESH opening in September at Te Tuhi Centre for the Arts, Manukau City. Tanu was a contributing artist to the smallaxe09 project, a collaborative video work produced by Janet Lilo and I as part of the invitational exhibition profiling new art venues at Auckland’s ARTSPACE gallery in September 2009. Tanu’s short film, The Woods, also featured in the inaugural Manukau Film Festival in 2008.

YOU LOVE MY FRESH is an experimental video installation exploring Samoan identity, intergenerational cultural transmission and gender in south Auckland.

Umu day, an initiative teaching young New Zealand-born Samoans how to prepare an umu / earth oven.

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The Kool Kids Company – Tanu Gago’s production company.

Tanu’s drawing practice is also of note, his current body of work is based around a character inspired by Dan Taulapapa McMullin‘s poetry collection, A Drag Queen Named Pipi.

Jerry the Fa’afafine is an ongoing series of drawings exploring Samoan masculinity.

Tanu opened our second Manukau City edition of Pecha Kucha Night in November 2009 for the Manukau Festival of Arts with a fantastic, inspiring presentation that can be seen here.

We’re drawing closer to the end of the inaugural Manukau Pacific Art Summit. The Curating Pacific Art Forum draws together Pacific curators from around New Zealand to discuss, demystify and stimulate the Pacific curatorial sector. Guest speaker, Professor Konai Helu-Thaman from the University of the South Pacific is a enormous assest to this event. The venue of the Fo Guang Shan North Island Buddhist Temple should be a beautiful setting for some forward thinking and inspiration…

Registrations still welcome… please contact Brett Stirling, contact details can be found on the Manukau Pacific Arts Summit website

]]> http://colourmefiji.com/2010/05/16/curating-pacific-art-forum/feed/ 0 Colour Me Fiji http://colourmefiji.com/2010/05/16/farewelling-fresh/ http://colourmefiji.com/2010/05/16/farewelling-fresh/#comments Sun, 16 May 2010 20:37:12 +0000 Colour Me Fiji http://colourmefiji.com/?p=830 ]]> Thursday 13 May was my last official opening at Fresh Gallery Otara, the Manukau City Council Arts facility I was instrumental in establishing and have run since May 2006.  FGO’s 4th anniversary was marked with Terry Koloamatangi Klavenes’ second solo exhibition, Blood’s Thicker Than Mud. It was a beautiful gathering, with live music from Stevie J Heatley (Fiji) and DJ Algoodie. I was expecting to be a bit emotional.. so I wrote my speech, which I delivered after presentations by Mayor Len Brown and Leisa Siteine, Manager – Manukau Arts…

We’re here tonight to celebrate and honour four years that this gallery has represented artists, facilitated dialogue, been part of and totally affected by things that happen in this community.

Whilst there have been so many good memories, I remembered today the tragedy that was the fatal beating of 17 year old Riki Mafi, here in the Town Centre in 2006… an event that affected us all profoundly. We still remember that day and the aftermath, it was a tragedy that brought the community together in grief and love. We still honour Riki Mafi and his family, and remember.

Since I moved to Otara from the Pacific, this place has felt like a village, made up of diverse communities, hard working and focused, family oriented, rich in culture and arts. This community loves to dance and sing, party and talanoa… it’s no wonder I’ve felt so at home here for the past 8 years!

Fresh has come to reflect this space, through the mode of visual language and exhibitions, attempting to straddle the Western notion of art with a more indigenous, Pacific understanding and value of creative expression. For art to be important and functional, significant and worthy, it must respond and relate to its audience.

When artists explore their own cultural standing, strive to make sense of conflict, internal and external, we are part of that journey, and it has been a pleasure to create a platform where issues of identity and belonging are seen and felt, discussed and argued.

This Gallery has absorbed me, my blood, sweat and tears. With my parents and siblings residing in Fiji, this gallery has been my lifeline, enabling me to sustain a connection with the Pacific and the world. I have found my purpose, through Fresh, and I value everyone and every event that has grown from this site.

And I love Otara, and will always love Otara. Having acquired my degree here, fallen in love here, adopted a dog from here, been tattooed here…. Otara has made an indelible mark on my life. My move to the new Mangere Arts Centre was with reluctance at first, but knowing that Otara is my foundation, my strength, I feel as if I can do anything!

At this time, I have to make some important acknowledgements:

• Mayor Len Brown – who opened Fresh Gallery Otara in May 2006. You have reignited my love for politics and making change, such excellent leadership – it’s been an honour to work for Council during this time.

• Labour MPs Su’a William Sio and Carmel Sepuloni, who have supported FGO so much.

• Otara Community Board, thanks particularly to Chairman Tunumafono Ava Fa’amoe, Councillor ‘Efu Koka and Bill Wiki.

• Leisa Siteine, your consistent support and leadership has been the backbone of Fresh – thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.

• Naomi Singer, our ex-Marketing Coordinator and Erin Stewart, our current Marketing Coordinator, and the working partnership with Edgar Melitao from The Kitchen – for making Fresh look so flash on paper!

• Brett Stirling, Project Manager for the 2010 MPAS – for making this summit into such a landmark event for me.

• Nicole Lim, who came on board as a cadet doing work experience as a new graduate from MSVA and has become the best assistant anyone could ask for. Her endless patience and attention to detail, and her excellent work ethic has made her a huge asset to Fresh and the Otara community.

• My colleagues at Council; Robyn Allpress, Fa’ama Viliamu, the Manukau Arts team – Greg Whaiapu, Christine Forster and Nigel Borrel, Fala Pasifika – the Pacific staff network, the Otara Library and Yvonne Matsen from the Otara CAB.

• My peers in the Pacific arts and cultural sectors: Tautai Trust, in particular chair Gina Cole, Marilyn Kohlhase, Nemai and Yolande from 531PI, Jim Vivieaere, CNZ’s Pacific Arts Committee.

• My friends and supporters: Melissa Cole, Leilani Kake, Samiuela Napa’a, Janet Lilo, Dionne Fonoti, Torika Bolatagici, Leilani Salesa, Luisa Tora and Sangeeta Singh, Tanu Gago, Shigeyuki Kihara, Tessa Laird and Grant Thompson from MSVA.

To every single artist and curator who has blessed this gallery with their work – it has been such a pleasure to have spent four years serving you, representing you and working for you.

Vinaka vinaka vinaka vakalevu!

:’)

Thanks to the British Council, UK poet, producer, DJ.. Charlie Dark joined five Pasifika poets on the Centre Stage of the Otara Town Centre for an hour of poetic deliciousness…

Yolande Ah Chong is the best MC a Pacific Arts Summit could ask for!

Courtney Meredith bought her smoothness…

Charlie Dark was too cool…

Luisa Tora of the Niu Waves Writers Collective [Fiji] performed in Aotearoa for the first time!

The multi-skilled Ole Maiava.. aka Pasifika Festival Director!

All the poets: [L-R] Luisa Tora, Courtney Meredith, Drew Harding, Charlie Dark, Monica Cheung and Ole Maiava // super super cool… thank you all so much! It was an excellent event!

Featured on TV3 Nightline on Tuesday 4 May, a full interview with Charlie Dark can be seen here and a story on Radio New Zealand’s Tagata o te Moana show by Leilani Momoisea can be heard here

Jordan designed this custom piece in collaboration with Tanu, nine flowers represent his nine sisters.

After I tattooed a banana leaf outline on my left thigh, Jordan finished it off

Jordan met Monty Collins, Mangere-based graphic designer at Fresh Gallery Otara.

He added to Monty’s extensive sleeve and chest pieces with a Marquesian inspired chest/side piece.

We were all feeling Monty’s pain… but it looked so mean when it was finished!

My beautiful friend Melissa loves her new chrysanthemum tattoo.

Multimedia artist and story-teller, Nia-val Ngaro had a design in mind taken from the prow of a Cook Islands canoe.

This was a beautiful pre-wedding treat for Nia-val.

This custom piece was made for Samoan musician Quincy Ray Filiga.

Jordan tattooed two matching secala / kingfishers on my hips, which I love. The secala /kingfisher is the totem bird from my village Dravuni, in Kadavu, Fiji. The image is based on a kingfisher from the Nice Work stationery range, re-drawn by Monty Collins.

Encouraged to make an experimental video work for the Tautai event, Off Stage, Jordan collaborated with Tanu Gago to make this quick video, offering a passer-by on Karangahape Road a free tattoo!

More photos from Jordan Souza’s stay

Jordan Souza’s art website

We don’t have any arts publications in New Zealand that give space and editorial powers to indigenous art thought. I wish we did. Thanks for the inspiration, Artlink…