Pecha Kucha Night // Manukau City
It’s back! We’re holding our 2nd Manukau Pecha Kucha Night at the historic Metro Theatre in Mangere East. It’ll be an AWESOME night – the line-up is a fresh fresh fresh selection of amazing creatives all of which have a relationship with south Auckland. Entry is $5 and limited – get in quick!
Rimoni // A shot in the dark
A Manurewa photographer takes an honest approach to capturing open public spaces, writes Sharu Delilkan // The Aucklander – South Edition
Raymond Sagapolutele refers to himself as a “brotographer”.
“I used to be known for saying ‘bro’ all the time. It’s a term I use to describe myself, not a reference to the subject matter I shoot,” says the photographer who’s showing his first collection of shots.
Just like his unconventional description of himself, subverting convention and challenging media stereotypes is the main thrust of Honest?!?.
The exhibition of black and white photographs shows “images of South Auckland through my eyes”, he says.
“Rather than just doing typical South Auckland shots, I prefer taking shots of people and places with a refreshing perspective.”
The 38-year-old from Manurewa says he started off taking cliched landscape shots but realised very quickly that every other photographer seemed also to be doing that. So he looked for subjects that would distance his work from everyone else’s.
“I shoot a lot in the middle of the night. I love going to places that wouldn’t be considered photogenic. For example, I opt to go to places that would otherwise be busy during the day and take pictures when they’re empty.”
Sagapolutele, who has only been doing photography seriously for four years, says he discovered his knack for it by accident.
“I used to mess around with my wife’s camera after she’d come back from her night photography classes and realised I was on to a good thing.”
Following 15 years working in finance, he quit his job in 2003 to immerse himself in multimedia courses.
“Most of my learning has been self-taught. I prefer that to formal learning.”
A regular photographer for Rip It Up magazine and Dawn Raid, Sagapolutele says he prefers to work without a set agenda.
“If you do what is true to yourself, the likelihood is that you’ll get an honest reflection of what you’re after.”
Honest?!?, Fresh Gallery Otara, Shop 5, 46 Fairmall, Otara Town Centre, until October 24.
Artist Talk: 12pm, Saturday 17 October. Free entry.
For more information, ph 271 6019.
STEVIE J to perform at FIJI TIMES opening!
Stevie J is a musical journeyman. Originally from Wainuni in Bua, he started his career singing with the band Purple Haze and later fronted Fiji’s first reggae band, Exodus. He’s played as supporting act to international artists, including the late Lucky Dube. In the 90s he turned his talent to jazz, blues and soul but his roots stay with reggae. He plays regularly around Auckland with various musicians, including former Wailers guitarist, Roy Venkataraman and blues guitarist, Warren Mendonsa. Stevie J is currently working on his first major release, a jazzy rootsy album featuring all the influences from his journey.
Fiji Times is a short exhibition curated to commemorate Fiji Independance Day, October 10. Featuring recent works by Margaret Aull, Filani Macassey, Sangeeta Singh, Luisa Tora and Torika Bolatagici Vetuna, the show opens from 6pm, Friday 9 October and continues until Wednesday 14 October open daily from 12-6pm at The Salon, Level 1, St Kevin’s Arcade, Karangahape Road, central Auckland.
FIJI TIMES // New Work by 5 Fiji Women Artists
FIJI TIMES is a group exhibition curated by Ema Tavola for Fiji Independance Day, October 10.
Inspired to make experimental artistic commentary on the current political climate of Fiji, five Fiji women artists have developed new works that tackle political [mis]leadership, faith and religion, censorship and militarism, propaganda, love, land and diaspora.
This exciting short exhibition is a continuation of the VASU: Pacific Women of Power exhibition staged in Suva in 2008. VASU was Fiji’s first platform for the promotion, celebration and discussion of art made by Fiji women.
FIJI TIMES will take place at a central Auckland artist-run-space called The Salon from 10-14 October, opening daily from 12-6pm. Artists will be on site and all are welcome to celebrate the exhibition’s opening from 6pm, Friday 9 October.
F-G-Ohhhh!
FGO aka Fresh Gallery Otara – the pride of the south, Otara’s own exhibitions gallery, is calling for exhibition proposals for 2010.
Fresh Gallery Otara’s vision is to function as a professional art space promoting exhibitions that relate to the context of its location and the community. In addition, the gallery provides a platform for emerging local artists to exhibit and sell their artwork whilst offering them the opportunity to develop and understanding of professional art practice.
For exhibitions between January – June 2010, proposals need to be received before 1 November 2009.
ENQUIRIES >> Nicole Lim @ Fresh >> Nicole.Lim@manukau.govt.nz
NEW from POPOHARDWEAR
TONIGHT Samoan David “Tuaminator” Tua fights Shane “Mountain Warrior” Cameron in The Fight of the Century! David Tua, bro, we got your back… Siliga David Setoga of POPOHARDWEAR has released this special edition t-shirt, selling like HOT CAKES at the Otara Market TODAY… only $20!! Show the love!!
EPIC
VICTORY
Notes // Art Talks // Auckland
Notes responding to Guest Lecture by Ema Tavola // University of Auckland
Information, videos, links and pictures
- Dravuni / Kadavu / Fiji
- Adi Nacola // Grasskirt Photography
- For the 2007 project, Picture This! facilitated by the Fiji Womens Rights Movement, Adi Nacola was commissioned to teach basic photography skills to young women to form an exhibition, selected works later featured in “The Real Fiji” at Mangere Arts Centre.
- sub urbia 2008
- sub urbia 2007
- My Polyfest 2008 photos
Official ASB Polyfest website - Raymond Sagapolutele // Manurewa-based brotographer // Rimoni Photography
First solo exhibition, Honest?!?, Fresh Gallery Otara (2-24 October 2009) - Shigeyuki Kihara
- What’s Going On? was a live art project by Leilani Kake + Ema Tavola, Fresh Gallery Otara (October 2006)
- Defining Sovereignty – a solo exhibition by Yazma Smith, Fresh Gallery Otara (February 2008)
- Maka Tu Taha featuring Samiu Napa’a and Kulimoe’anga Maka Stone, Fresh Gallery Otara (September 2007)
- Opening
- Catalogue Essay by Charmaine ‘Ilaiu
- Interview on TVNZ’s Tagata Pasifika with Kulimoe’anga Maka Stone
- Glenda Vilisoni recently featured in Pule Fakamotu, a group exhibition of Niuen artists, Artstation (October 2008)
- For Fiji, Ever Fiji – a group exhibition of Fiji women artists, Fresh Gallery Otara (January 2009)
- Featuring The Homecoming, a short film by Luisa Tora
- BUY SPEND SAVE NOW – a collaborative installation by Shigeyuki Kihara, Leilani Salesa and Ema Tavola, Fresh Gallery Otara (March 2007), currently showing in Flower Power curated by Andrea Busto, Villa Giulia – CRAA Centro Ricerca Arte Attuale, Verbania, Italy (May-October 2009)
- From The Pacific, We Rise – a retrospective exhibition of the Kila Kokonut Krew, Fresh Gallery Otara (February 2008)
- YouTube exhibition video
- Vela Manusaute performing in AotearoHa!, New Zealand International Comedy Festival 2008
- Interview on TVNZ’s Tagata Pasifika with Kila Kokonut Krew
- “Dont Dutch” T shirt advert for Phat Islanders T-shirts. Starring Stacey Leilua, Ansley Tapuvae, Aleni Tufuga from the Kila Kokonut Krew. Music by JXN (Nafanua Records)
- Online archive of KKK videos
- Pa is a 6 minute short film by Arnette Arapai & Boswell Haiosi (2006)
Roy Head is 82 years old and is of Niuean and English descent. He moved to New Zealand in 1943 and has remained in Parnell, Auckland ever since. He talks candidly of his life here, work, and marriage. Pa is relevant to our Pacific Island people of today in terms of acknowledging and validating our elders – so much youth of today tend to look forward not concerned with the past, ignoring the fact that the past is all a part of who we are today. It’s a brief snippet of his story spoken in Niuean with English subtitles.Pa first appeared in Pollywood 5 (2007) curated by Craig Fasi for Auckland’s Media and Interdisciplinary Arts Centre and later in Nuku Tu Taha – a group exhibition of Niuean artists, Fresh Gallery Otara (October 2008) - Koloa et al: Your Art is my Treasure featuring Mo’ui Aonga Tongan Cultural Centre (Otahuhu), curated by Charmaine Ilaiu and Nina Tonga, Fresh Gallery Otara (February 2008)
- Interview with TVNZ’s Tagata Pasifika with artists + curators
- Watch an interview with curator Charmaine ‘Ilaiu on Australia Network’s Pacific Pulse
- South Style featuring Vinesh Kumaran, Ofa Mafi and Allen Vili, Fresh Gallery Otara (May 2009)
- MyFace – a solo exhibition by Janet Lilo, Fresh Gallery Otara (June 2009)\
- Urban Pacific Art in Aotearoa / New Zealand
Panel discussion with Leilani Kake, Giles Peterson and Ema Tavola
Developed for the Pacific Arts Association session at the 97th College Art Association conference, Los Angeles (February 2009)- Session description, abstracts and photos, Pacific Arts Association
- Pacific Art goes worldwide by Imogen Neale, Manukau Courier (27/02/09)
- Photographic documentation
- small axe 09 – a 47 minute collaborative video project produced by Janet Lilo in partnership with Ema Tavola for Artspace (September 2009)
- Fresh Gallery Otara on Pacific Beat Street (Episode 2, 28 March 2009)
Fresh Gallery Otara | Context // Otara Market on Australia Network’s Pacific Pulse (22/06/09) - Siliga David Setoga
- Interview on TV3’s Pacific Beat Street (Episode 1, 21 March 2009)
- Siliga’s 2008 Pecha Kucha presentsion, Manukau City
Some extra goodness…
Nesian 101 by Nesian Mystik
I love this song, these gang have great energy and I love Brother Love, but the dancing is.. forced.. if you go to any freshy club in Auckland on a Thursday or Saturday night, you find this abundance of raw dancefloor confidence and beautiful brown bodies and the dancefloor is electric! None of this skinny-leg-too-much make-up-choreography… icks!
The next Festival of Pacific Arts will be in the Solomon Islands in 2012 – can’t wait!!
I had a great time in 2004 in Palau, and last year in Pago Pago where I had the opportunity to be part of the New Zealand delegation… it was a trip!
Sinalela, a short film by Dan Taulapapa McMullin
Dan is a California based painter / poet / film maker / writer. He developed a body of new work for a solo exhibition, Missionary Positions – An Illustrated History of American Samoa whilst in Pago Pago for the 10th Festival of Pacific Art. Showing initially at Fresh Gallery Otara in August 2008, the works went on to be shown and sold at Auckland’s O’Kaioceanikart. Dan was interviewed by Samoan writer Sia Figiel in a recent article in Art & Australia magazine.
Good Hair trailer.
Developing the work, small axe 09 for Artspace, research led us to find Chris Rock’s soon to be released in New Zealand documentary, Good Hair.
AKL >> WGTN >> AKL
Death is Inevitable (2008)
Janet and I went to Wellington for the re-opening of the City Gallery with an amazing huge exhibition by Yayoi Kusama, and in the small but present Deane Gallery, a solo exhibition by Ngaahina Hohoia.. fabulous.
We dressed in full colour!
