#31WriteNow Day 2: Tongan Massage & Jim Beam

on August 3, 2013

20130802-235431.jpgI’m still in the hazy aftermath of almost three months of planning and fundraising and today was a day filled with distractions. Without a car, I end up catching rides with friends and sitting in on some pretty random adventures. Yesterday I witnessed a cow running loose in Otara. Today I wiled away waiting time watching Jenna Marbles’ video “What are this” on repeat.

There’s something about being a passenger that makes me want to drink and I’m still a little bit on that celebration flow. I probably drank one can too many this afternoon before coming home for a Tongan massage from my partner’s father. I subconsciously do this – before getting tattooed or massaged – that little bit of alcohol in my system seems to amplify pain and I DON’T KNOW WHY I KEEP DOING IT.

Tu’i massages remind me of all the physiotherapy and chiropractor therapy I’ve had but harder. I’d say it’s deep tissue but it feels like sometimes he touches bone. My god, it hurts. It hurts real bad, and today it was almost unbearable. But Oh Em Gee when it’s done, I literally feel… Remarkable – like there’s electricity surging through my veins. I could honestly skip down my street; I feel ah-mazing. With my back cracked and a body fully charged with secret stores of muscle magic, I feel well prepared for this weekend’s 14-hour flight to Vancouver.

I’m thankful for Tu’i, for sharing the art of Tongan healing massage with me, and for our long broken English conversations about babies (i.e when will I produce his son’s children), work stories (a work ethic of epic proportions) and famili.

After the massage we all ate steak and watched Cops. A perfect Friday night.

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#31WriteNow Day 1: Challenge accepted in #SouthAuckland, #Aotearoa / #NewZealand

on August 1, 2013

I love reading Luvvie Ajayi‘s writing and have taken up the challenge to blog everyday in August as part of her #31WriteNow challenge!

I’m always in the throws of multiple simultaneous art projects, and August will be a cocktail of travel, speaking engagements, event planning, pitching and assignment writing. I’m drawn to the #31WriteNow challenge because I’m 31 right now, and life is pretty good!

I’ve come to the tail end of the #2girls1conference fundraising campaign – an epic journey with my art ally, Leilani Kake. Through crowdfunding, hand-printed art t-shirts and an amazing art auction, we managed to raise NZ$8000 in two months! We hosted our final event last night – an opportunity for our community here in South Auckland to hear the papers we’re delivering next week at the Pacific Arts Association (PAA) 11th International Symposium in Vancouver. It was a good night – we loved situating that kind of event / discourse right at the grassroots and we’re super grateful to the Otara Scorpions for hosting us. Thanks also to Kolokesa Māhina-Tuai, the other PAA speaker from South Auckland, who also delivered her paper last night. Kolokesa is sharp as a knife; the kind of curator I’m proud to be associated with!

Leilani and I are so excited to be leaving for Canada this weekend. Despite this not being a holiday, it’ll just be nice to get out of New Zealand albeit briefly. I still want to see a bear, but I’m not sure if that will make it onto the itinerary.

I’ve been thinking about acknowledging all the people who contributed to the #2girls1conference campaign – I’m compiling the list. It’s pretty massive. I’ll be blogging everyday in August, so watch this space!

#2girls1conference: The #Otara Talks, Wednesday 31 July

Media Release

23 July 2013

South Auckland Community First In Line For International Art Talks

The local South Auckland community will be the first to hear local arts leaders present papers due to be delivered at the Pacific Arts Association’s International Symposium in Vancouver next month with a special preview evening to be held in Otara at the end of July.

After months of selling hand-printed t-shirts, an art auction selling works donated by local artists and a PledgeMe campaign taking place to fund the trip to Canada, Leilani Kake, Ema Tavola and Kolokesa Māhina-Tuai are giving the local community that has both inspired their papers and made the trip possible the first opportunity to hear their presentations.

Ms Tavola says that she is looking forward to sharing her ideas with the local arts audience.

“My art career was established in Otara; presenting my paper here first reflects the kaupapa of putting Otara and the Pacific at the centre of what I do.”

Ms Kake, a video installation artist and educator, will be talking about her chosen creative discipline in Pasifika Obscura: Pacific Video Art from New Zealand. Ms Māhina-Tuai, a curator and writer, will discuss The Mis-Education of Moana / Pacific Arts and Ms Tavola will reflect on her years of experience in curating exhibitions for Fresh Gallery Otara in Pacific Art for Pacific Audiences: Grassroots Curating in South Auckland.

Each presentation will last around 15 minutes, with time after each for the audience to offer feedback and suggestions.

Event details

What: Pacific Arts Association International Symposium Paper Preview Evening

When: Wednesday 31 July, doors open at 6.30pm, 7pm start

Where: Otara Scorpions Rugby League Clubrooms, Ngati Otara Park, cnr Alexander Crescent and Otara Road, Otara

Cost: $5 at the door + sausage sizzle

#2girls1conference Art Auction: Tepora Malo

Tepora Malo

Title: REAL TALK series
Date: 2013
Medium: Screenprint on 300gsm Archival Paper
Dimensions: 594x420mm [unframed]

Born in 1992 and raised in South Auckland, Tepora Malo is a Samoan visual artist studying at the Faculty of Creative Arts at Manukau Institute of Technology. Noted for her innovative mash-up design style combining Island florals with animal print and urban iconography, Malo collaborated with Leilani Kake and Ema Tavola to produce the REAL TALK T-shirt design for the #2girls1conference campaign.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Creative Arts, Malo plans to develop her print and design practice expanding into fashion and textiles.

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#2girls1conference Art Auction: Leilani Kake

"Nga Hau E Wha - The Four Winds" Promotional Image by Leilani Kake with Vinesh Kumaran

Leilani Kake

Title: Promotional image for Ngā Hau E Whā – The Four Winds
Date: 2010
Medium: Digital Print on Archival Paper
Dimensions: 520x694mm [unframed]

Artist Statement

This is the promotional image created for Leilani Kake’s solo exhibition, Ngā Hau E Whā – The Four Winds at Fresh Gallery Otara, part of the 2011 Auckland Arts Festival. The original photograph was made by Vinesh Kumaran and digitally altered by Ema Tavola to create an image that suggested nudity, without creating controversy in Otara’s heavily faith-based community.

Notably, Ngā Hau E Whā – The Four Winds was the first exhibition at Fresh Gallery Otara to attract a review from The New Zealand Herald’s art critic, T.J McNamara, read it here. It was also Leilani’s first solo exhibition on home soil, the first exhibition that presented full frontal female nudity and Fresh Gallery Otara’s first involvement with a regional fine arts programme.

This image whilst crude in its digital mastery, is a historical record of an important exhibition that represented Fresh Gallery Otara’s relationship, accountability and respect for the Otara community and Pacific audience between 2006-2012.

Read more about Ngā Hau E Whā – The Four Winds here

Bio

Leilani Kake is a practising video installation artist and educator. Having exhibited broadly throughout New Zealand at venues including  Auckland Art Gallery, City Gallery Wellington and Fresh Gallery Otara, Leilani has also featured in exhibitions in Australia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, France, Taiwan and the United States. She holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Auckland is currently completing a Graduate Diploma of Secondary Teaching. She is also one half of #2girls1conference!

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Vinaka vakalevu Daniel Satele & Team @PantographPunch

on July 19, 2013

Thank you, vinaka vakalevu Daniel Satele and the team at
The Pantograph Punch

I really appreciate this interview that Samoan writer, Daniel Satele pursued with me. It’s the first time I’ve discussed my position and politics with another Pacific artist and writer working in Auckland, Aotearoa. His introductory words are really moving, and affirm to me why it’s so important to encourage Pacific artists and writers to make commentary, using their privileged position of Pacific insight, on other Pacific art makers and activity. Click here to read the full interview

This interview comes at a feverishly busy point in the #2girls1conference fundraising journey! Leilani Kake are two weeks away from leaving for Vancouver to present our papers at the Pacific Arts Association 11th International Symposium at the University of British Columbia. Click here to check out the massive programme of speakers and activities.

Next week is the #2girls1conference Art Auction where we’ll be auctioning off generously donated works from a pretty impressive range of contemporary artists! All welcome – the event kicks off at 6pm at Te Karanga Gallery, Level 1, 208 Karangahape Road in central Auckland!

Check out the #2girls1conference Art Auction online catalogue

8-string Rimu ukulele by Clinton Hewett
Pimp My Trishaw Series #1 – Homage to My Homegirls” (2013) by Nicole Lim
“Decolonise Your Tongue” by M. McHale & L. Tora
“Maori Minx” (2011) by Czarina Wilson
“Dark Horses” (2013) by Kerrie-Anne Van Heerden
“Mata nui” (2012) by Margaret Aull
“Palatavake Flag” (2013) by Benjamin Work
“Otara at Night” video stills (2011) by Rebecca Ann Hobbs
“Peter + William” (2012) by Tanu Gago
“Unsettled Earth Pylon City” (2006) by Ema Tavola
“Pataka 2.0” (2013) by Martin Langdon
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#2girls1conference Art Auction: Nicole Lim

Nicole Lim

Title: Pimp My Trishaw Series #1 – Homage to My Homegirls
Date: 2013
Series: Pimp My Trishaw
Medium: Digital Print on 175gsm Matte Paper
Dimensions: 210x297mm [framed]

Artist Statement

In this series Lim draws upon the trishaw culture in Malacca; a small state located in Malaysia where this unique culture turn tradition came about, as a result from the state’s thriving tourism industry. Malacca’s rich history, architecture and cultural influences from the Portuguese and Dutch occupation have made it a year round hotspot for tourists and locals alike.

These three wheeler carts are often shrine-like; owners heavily decorate their trishaws with brightly coloured flowers, fairy lights, flags and cheap plastic store-bought items, paying homage to the patriotism of the local people and its culture.

Pimp My Trishaw Series #1 – Homage to My Homegirls was created specifically for the #2girls1conference Art Auction, as a special tribute to Ema Tavola and Leilani Kake’s journeys and passion for their work in advocating for the Pacific and Maori arts in South Auckland, Aotearoa.

This work comes with three pairs of customised 3D paper glasses.

Bio

Nicole Lim is a South Auckland-based graphic designer and visual artist. Since 2009, Lim has been an integral part of Fresh Gallery Otara, the dynamic exhibitions gallery located in the Otara Town Centre. She took up the role of Gallery Assistant after completing a four-year Bachelor of Visual Arts at the University of Auckland at Manukau and worked under the curatorial leadership of Ema Tavola until 2012. Lim has been exhibiting her graphic design, painting and objects since 2009. In 2012 she curated her first exhibition, 2 For 1 featuring her own work alongside fellow recent graduate David Sun for St Paul St Gallery 3.

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#2girls1conference Art Auction: Clinton Hewett

Clinton Hewett

Title: 8-string Tahitian Ukulele
Date: 2013
Medium: Rimu timber
Dimensions: Variable

Bio

Master carver, Clinton Hewett originates from Aitutaki, Cook Islands; he has over 18 years of experience in carving and researching the cultural arts and crafts of the Pacific. Through his Auckland-based company, Tribal Designz, Hewett produces contemporary carving, custom tattoo design, ukulele and 21st keys. In Aitutaki, Hewett’s work can be found at Tamanu Beach Resort, Pacific Resort and Aitutaki Lagoon Resort where he has spent time as carver in residence.

Hewett is currently studying at the Faculty of Creative Arts, Manukau Institute of Technology. He recently showed at Auckland’s Ferari Space, and is part of Pirianga Toto – a survey of contemporary Cook Islands artists curated by Leilani Kake for Fresh Gallery Otara opening in August 2013.

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#2girls1conference Art Auction: Molly Rangiwai McHale & Luisa Tora

Detail, Decolonise Your Tongue (2013)

Molly Rangiwai McHale & Luisa Tora

Title: Decolonise Your Tongue
Date: 2013
Medium: Mixed media collage
Dimensions: 305x355mm [framed]

Bio

Fijian native Luisa Tora is a second year Visual Arts major at the Faculty of Creative at Manukau Institute of Technology, Otara. She lives in Onehunga with her girlfriend, painter Molly Rangiwai McHale and six cats that don’t belong to them.

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#2girls1conference Art Auction: Martin Langdon

Pataka 2.0 framed

Martin Langdon

Title: Pataka 2.0
Date: 2013
Edition: Artist Proof
Medium: Dry-point Etch on Archival Paper
Dimensions: 330x435mm [framed]

Artist Statement

The Pataka 2.0 dry-point etch series is a extension of my ‘Piri Āporo’ project which looked at ‘glocalised’ campaigns, in particular supermarkets that utilise Maori cultural elements to appear of local orientation. The outward investigation of how others appropriate what was assumed open source material produced work that utilised ‘face value’ and stereotypes. The extension of this project became an inward evaluation of my relationship to supermarkets – the dependency traps, the dislocation from where food comes from, the values embedded in knowing your food and the land that sustains us.

I have hope for the future as contemporary culture is trending towards community gardens, localized markets, gardens in homes and schools.

Bio

Martin Awa Clarke Langdon (Tainui) is a South Auckland-based multidisciplinary artist whose work explores the tensions and opportunities of bi-cultural duality and the third space. Langdon has recently shown in group exhibitions, Ngaru Rua curated by Gabrielle Belz for Nathan Homestead, South Auckland and Mana for Jam at Toi Pōneke Gallery, Wellington. His solo exhibition Dysfunctional Harmony at Papakura Art Gallery in January 2013, presented a series of works and ideas explored during his Postgraduate Diploma of Fine Arts undertaken at the University of Auckland in 2012.

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