MOANA WALL

Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust and Link Alliance are proud to present the MOANA WALL.

An outdoor exhibition space located on East Street’s hoardings surrounding the Karangahape Station construction site. Tautai will curate and project manage the outdoor exhibitions from 2020 – 2023. The 70m hoardings will be transformed into the MOANA WALL using the existing infrastructure as a canvas that highlights contemporary Pasifika artists and celebrates the diverse community of Karangahape Road.

The MOANA WALL aims to highlight a significant era of Karangahape Road’s history and its lasting connection to Pasifika communities today.

The grand opening will be held on Friday 4 December celebrating its first exhibition Inside the wave are ocean bodies by artists Natasha Ratuva and Hōhua Ropate Kurene, curated by Cora-Allan Wickliffe. The exhibition will remain until April 2021.

‘This new site specific work is an exploration of the crucial mechanisms that inform our connections as Moana communities. Through photographic, digital media and poetry Hōhua and Natasha created a narrative that celebrates the connections of their Fiji, Samoan and Māori whakapapa.’

Natasha Ratuva

Ni sa bula vinaka, Natasha Ratuva (her/she) is an Indigenous digital artist and creative from Naioti, Kadavu and Bua on her maternal side. She was born and raised in Fiji and came to Tāmaki in 2012. Natasha is honoured to work in Aotearoa and celebrates her ancient ties to tangata whenua as Moana peoples. Creating as an unconquerable sum of both beautiful lineages, she is eternally grateful for her place amongst her ancestors past, present and future that are constantly referred to in her creative work. Natasha gives a special vinaka vakalevu to her parents and brothers Joji and Jone, who she learns from everyday and together share in the feast of their ancestral knowledge.

Hōhua Ropate Kurene

Talofa Lava, Hōhua Ropate Kurene (he/him) is a queer Indigenous artist specialising in photography, multimedia design & creative writing. He is of mixed Samoan, Māori & Afro-European heritage. Originally born in Porirua, Hōhua was raised in his Father’s village Luatuanu’u Samoa, and later in his Mother’s birthplace Ōtautahi, Aotearoa. Hōhua currently calls Tāmaki Makaurau his home under the guidance of his Arts Aiga the Fafswag Arts Collective and wider Tāmaki Whanau. 

On Friday 4 December we will reveal the MOANA WALL to the public for the first time, followed by an evening of outdoor festivities on East Street which includes food stalls, live performances and more!

Kia ora koutou! Introducing fashion and textile designer Rawiri Brown.

Ngāriki Kaiputahi | Ngāti Raukawa
Cook Island Māori
Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa
IG: @morethread

Having over 15 years working in the fashion industry Rawiri aims to highlight the skilled craft and creative process involved in garment and textile making which is often overlooked and relegated to people’s bedroom floors.

Rawiri is drawn to design and textiles due to its close relationships with evocation, nostalgia, ceremony, tradition, ability to imbue power or authority through textiles’ everyday objects and applications.

Get a glimpse into Rawiri’s creative process as he shares his ‘messy workroom’ and the inspiration behind his capsule collection entitled ‘Happy Endings’.

Watch this compilation video of Rawiri’s artistic process! These little snippets draw inspiration from his experience with the current climate.  Entitled ‘Happy Endings’ has an overarching theme of an idealised utopia masking actual reality.  Tongue and check references of his hometown’s logo and what parallels of life was like for himself in 2007’s Global Financial Crisis. He then shares with us the ways in which he experiments with his found objects to make beautiful and sustainable garments.  

We are excited to share Rawiri’s final work! Made as a response to today’s current climate with tongue and cheek references to his hometown Rawiri Brown presents the capsule collection ‘Happy Endings’ created during his Fale-ship residency!

“Employing a hyper saturated colour palette to the point of almost looking garish; incorporating found materials to reinforce narrative and using textiles considered tacky, or cheap to produce a collection with high end finishings and craftsmanship.”

Rawiri Brown

Q+A talanoa with Rawiri & Leafa

Leafa and Rawiri sit down to talk about the processes behind developing a fashion collection.

Leafa: “So can you tell us a bit about your creative process during your Tautai Fale-ship?”
Rawiri: “I love coming up with the ideas and concepts behind a new collection…aesthetically at the moment I like juxtaposition of using already sourced or discarded things that aren’t considered valuable and turning them into something desirable.”

Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
LEAFA WILSON
Performance artist/ Curator/Art Writer/ Director – Olga
Sāmoan | Gafa: Vaimoso/Siumu/Fasito’otai
Hamilton, Aotearoa
IG: @bungaswehr
IG: @olgaartspace 

View all the FALE-SHIPS here

For further information please email us 
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

Talofa lava! Introducing multi-disciplinary artist Fa’amele Etuale.

Samoan | Chinese 
South Auckland, Aotearoa 
IG: @faameleetuale 

Fa’amele is a self taught artist, Pacific contemporary jeweller and a maker of all things creative. 

O lo’u igoa o Fa’amele Etuale, I am of Samoan and Chinese descent. I live and make Art in my beautiful home of Otara, South Auckland.  

My father comes from Laulii Suaniu Tala’ave Filipo, my two beautiful mothers come from Leufisa and Malie their names were Teleise Grace Filipo and Lainaimalae Filipo. I am the Eldest of 8 siblings, I am married to Gasu Apelu Ilemaleota Etuale who is from Tufulele I have 4 beautiful children. 

Fa’amele emphasises the importance of documenting and trailing her designs before making the finished work! She gives us an insight into her home studio and her step-by-step creative process, from her sketches to her final lei designs!  

‘The Promise’

‘The Promise’ is both relatable yet deeply personal to Fa’amele. It is a testament to the shared experience of migration from the Islands to Aotearoa and Australia. She captures the feelings of excitement, the unknown and of course the notion of ‘promise’. This painting holds meanings beyond just this for Fa’amele, it is also a dedication to her late mother-in-law Fili, who inspired her everyday. Swipe right to read more about this beautiful and significant artwork. 

“I heard my own voice, it blocked out all the noise of whatever is happening on social media, whatever people are doing, whatever people think. Everything around me just closed.” 

Fa’amele Etuale

Q+A with Fa’amele and Marie

Fa’amele and Marie discuss the importance of being true to oneself and making art that is important to you and your loved ones.  

@mariefilipomusic – “So when your residency launches online, what do you want people to take away from it?” 
@faameleetuale – “I want to tell all the artists out there, that don’t have a voice, that don’t have a platform…that there are people out there, like myself, that are here…Never let anyone tell you to stop doing what’s in your heart. That’s all I want people to take away from my Fale-ship.” 

Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:  
Marie Filipo 
Musician, Motivational Speaker 
Samoan/Chinese 
South Auckland, Aotearoa 
IG: @marie_filipo | @mariefilipomusic 

View all the FALE-SHIPS here

For further information please email us 
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

Talofa lava! Introducing comic book artist Michel Mulipola.

Sāmoan
Māngere, South Auckland
IG: @bloodysamoanart | FB: @bloodysamoanart
www.bloodysamoan.com
www.bloodysamoan.com/o-le-aiga-comics

Michel is one of the very few professional Pasifika comic artists. With a growing international fanbase, he enjoys sharing his stories with people from all over the globe.

Michel Mulipola is a Sāmoan comic book artist/pro wrestler/semi-pro gamer born and raised on the mean streets of Māngere, South Auckland. His grandfather’s villages are Lefaga, Iva and Manono and his grandmother’s villages are Papa Sātaua, Faleasiu, Vaimoso and Sinamoga.

He has illustrated works for the WWE, Marvel Comics, 2K Games ANZ, SIS Show, Sky TV, Pasifika Heroes Books and NZ School Journals amongst many other things.

Michel’s art practice of illustrating comic stories is one that is popular amongst consumers but rarely practiced by Pasifika artists. In fact, he is one of the very few professional Pasifika comic artists and if you Google “Samoan comic artist,” he is featured in the top results. Pasifika people are naturally gifted storytellers telling their stories through different mediums, Michel’s medium happens to be comic books. Comics are often misunderstood as an art style, superheroes or a genre but in reality, it is a storytelling medium

Get an insight into Michel’s creative workspace and daily surroundings that inspire him. He also shares with us some awesome snapshots from his previous works as well as a sneak peek into the new works he created as part of his Fale-ship residency!

Check out Michel’s twitch time-lapse, depicting the creation of his comic he created for his Fale-ship, ‘O Le Aiga Samoa.’ Head to our youtube to see the full time-lapse or to Michel’s twitch account for the full livestream where he explains how he designs his comics and where he gets his inspiration!

“In sharing my process so publicly on Twitch, I aimed to demystify the comics artform and make myself available to any artists or casual viewers who wish to pick my brain on the creative process”

– Michel Mulipola

Q+A with Michel and Leafa

Michel chats all about his experiences at Comicon in San Diego and what inspires him to be an illustrator!

Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
LEAFA WILSON
Performance artist/ Curator/Art Writer/ Director – Olga
Sāmoan | Gafa: Vaimoso/Siumu/Fasito’otai
Hamilton, Aotearoa
IG: @bungaswehr
IG: @olgaartspace 

View all the FALE-SHIPS here

For further information please email us 
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

SALTWATER / Interconnectivity artist Telly Tuita talks about where culture is rooted and the pride of seeing Pacific arts and artists flourishing in Aotearoa.

“Memory is such a powerful thing. I could have the sad story of – I was taken away from my culture, I was taken away from Tonga… but I think if culture is strong enough it will never leave you and as you can see, you are the culture.”

– Telly Tuita

SALTWATER / Interconnectivity is on at Tautai Gallery till 30 January, 2021

<< Stay tuned for more Artists Spotlights from SALTWATER / Interconnectivity >>

For further information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

Talofa lava! Introducing sound and video practitioner Salvador Brown.

Samoan | European
Westmere, Aotearoa
IG: @salvadorbrown
www.salvadorbrown.com

He is now based in Auckland after growing up in London, where he was a member of Ngāti Ranana-Maori Cultural Group, Maramara Totara-London based Taiaha Roopu and Beats of Polynesia Dance group. Salvador first blew the pū (conch) at the age of 4 and has had a love affair with Taonga Puoro ever since. Photography and Videography are his second love, shooting stills on film sets to documenting SaVĀges and Sisters.

Salvador was raised surrounded by the Pasifika arts scene as a child of one of the Pacific Sisters, who he often collaborates with. He participated in the Inaugural London SaVĀge K’lub in 2011 and went on to document them for the Queensland Art Gallery’s 8^th Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art in 2015. Horomona Horo is currently mentoring him as he develops a research project “Fagu Tagi – Bottled Sound” a comparative study of Maori and Samoan musical instruments for the Pacific Sisters.

Highlights of his artistic practice include Kaiwhakatangi at the opening celebrations for the acclaimed Pacific Sisters: Fashion Activists exhibition at Auckland Art Gallery. Acti.VA.tor for In*ter*is*land Collective in London for the Oceania exhibition at the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris (2019) and Workshop leader at Volkenkunde Museum Netherland Maori Week with his London whanau Te Kohanga Reo o Rānana in 2018.  

Get an insight into Salvador’s creative workspace in Westmere and the process of diving into the digital moana to create the sound bed work ‘DigiTā VāSā’.  

Salvador takes us on a visual journey, sharing the process behind creating his final sound bed work ‘DigiTā VāSā’

CREDITS:
Shot on the Waitematā (Obsidian Waters) | Acknowledgements to the mana whenua

Pūtātara named Te Kupenga ā Kiva | Brought to life by Thomas Carroll, Tahiarii Pariente and Kanaloa

Tatau
Gogo by Emine Jones-Burke
Atualoa by Mokonuiarangi Smith
Fe’e by Croc Tatau

Camera operated by Kerry Brown
Sound design and video editing by Sālvādor Brown

Returning to his geographical home of Auckland and deepening his connection to his ancestral home of Samoa, Salvador responds through the sound bed ‘DigiTā VāSā’ created during his Fale-ship residency!

<< Recommended listening on headphones
in a quiet calm space, close to water if possible >>

Sounds:
Tā Tatau – Mokonuiarangi Smith
Pūtātara named Te Kupenga ā Kiva – Brought to life by Thomas Carroll, Tahiarii Pariente and Kanaloa
Mamapū named Lonetona – Made from Ofe (Bamboo) brought to life by Sālvādor Brown
Early morning Manu (Birds)

Digital Sounds: Pink noise, Brown noise, Arcade synthesizer, Arcade Bass guitar, Digital Glitches, Electro Magnetic Interference

Q+A talanoa with Salvador & Marie…

Salvador chats with Marie about the digital moana and how his whānau inspires him.

Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:  
Marie Filipo 
Musician, Motivational Speaker 
Samoan/Chinese 
South Auckland, Aotearoa 
IG: @marie_filipo | @mariefilipomusic 

View all the FALE-SHIPS here

For further information please email us 
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

Sacrifice is the Greatest Art Form

Not all leaders are created equal. Tautai’s Courtney Sina Meredith is ensuring she leads by example

By Dina Jezdic for The Big Idea, 14 October 2020

Our society is changing and so are the types of leaders we seek to entrust with power. 

The imperative to empower the most disenfranchised and marginalized among us has revealed a large gap in the arts and culture leadership, while exposing limited knowledge on how to tackle the ongoing problems of systemic racism and structural injustices in our society and the communities we identify with. 

For Courtney Sina Meredith, author, performer and the Director of Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust – Aotearoa’s leading contemporary Pacific arts organisation – this is the space she feels most comfortable in. It’s a space she understands well through lived experience, as a respected figure in the arts and as an accomplished multidisciplinary artist in her own right. The artist and the administrator entwined, a chimera of the dreamer and the doer. 

“Where I am now in my life is where I’ve been for a very long time – inside the wave. As a writer and performer, I’ve had the great blessing of documenting the sea salt, struggles, genetic memory and amazing ambition from within. I believe in the future my grandparents and great-grandparents left Samoa and Rarotonga to pursue. 

“Family is everything to me, it is the foundation of who I am as a creative, as a leader in the arts, as a new parent and someone more interested in doing the right thing behind closed doors than highlighting the performance of expected leadership in the public realm.”

Willing to serve

As we are faced with a time of unknowns, we are also in the greatest time for learning and doing things differently. Leading the way in this time of great change may be easier for some than for others but this leader never dilutes that the struggle is indeed very real, if you are willing to truly serve your community. 

“Leadership isn’t glamorous at all – it’s a lot of planning and pukumahi. I’ve retained my spirit by understanding that sacrifice is the greatest art form. Look at what’s created through the hope for something more. 

“I’ve always believed that a true artist creates artistic opportunities for others. I turned down many opportunities to be my own artist because the fork in the road ahead meant a win for myself or a win for somebody else. That doesn’t make me a martyr – I think it makes me, by my own personal code, the sort of artist I’ve always wanted to become.

“When I see Moana creatives come into Tautai and they light up because they feel so seen and so comfortable – and every piece of art, every space, every book reflects and affirms their very being – those are the moments I breathe out and let myself feel a tiny piece of the enormity of it all.”

Dedication

“I’ve never dug so deep as I have for the love of this community. I was confident I could bring the Trust back to good health, in the way you nurse a loved one. That was a metaphor I returned to often. Yes,  I had a 12-month, 6-month, 90-day and 30-day business plan – crossing those things off with my team was actually so emotional – but I also just treated the Trust like an elder who needed my time.

“Slowly, gently, it was like this entity in the crook of my arm that couldn’t be left alone, regained colour in its cheeks with daily nourishment. People returned, the memory returned of who Tautai was and why.

“I am powered by my belief in the power of my people. Whether or not Moana artists want to engage with Tautai is their choice but I‘d rather exist in a time where it is a choice and not a consistent inequity that is glaringly obvious.” 

Blu-tack & Chicken scrawl

This is clearly the case of not being afraid to talk about the hard work and sacrifice it took to get the Trust and the team to where they are now. It’s about the visibility of difficult conversations and the hard work of the days and months that followed. Here is a leader that knows she is not alone and that her sacrifice is most certainly not unnoticed.  

“I’ve poured every drop of love into Tautai that I possibly could. Love-led leadership looked like practically living at the office in the first 6-12 months, with family dropping off food in the weekends and sitting with me in the office with print outs and sheets of papers covered in my chicken scrawl blu-tacked to the walls, backs of doors, in piles around the meeting room.

“It completely overtook me – this instinct to secure the Trust. I put myself into a very vulnerable space but I was determined to succeed. I understood it would take time and so I just settled in for the long haul. Some days were a lot harder than others but the good days were especially great and I held onto that.”

Purpose-built, built with purpose

Building the future on broken foundations is a difficult and potentially dangerous path. It can only be achieved by rebuilding upon new, healthy foundations. For Tautai Trust, they appear to be brightly lit, glistening like a newly shed skin. The new space with the expanded footprint is a vessel for artists to exhibit and gather but also a home dwelling centered on the Pacific community and their role in the contemporary arts practice. It is no wonder they are celebrating this visible and transformational success. 

“In two years we have expanded our space triple-fold, establishing Tautai Gallery which was officially opened this year by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, held our first indigenous collaborative show across the Tasman at Blak Dot Gallery, increased our funding by 94%, had two clear financial audits, brought on Pacific accountants, Pacific auditors, Pacific caterers, a range of Pacific suppliers and built partnerships with many thought leaders here and around the globe.

“This realm has always been my church, my spaceship, my happy place but it’s not easy to make a life in the arts and this is something I’m passionate about changing.

“Now that the horizon has come to us and we are piercing the walls of many heavens together, I feel that I can finally take a step back and learn to live in the fale we were able to build thanks to our incredible funders at Creative New Zealand, Foundation North, our Fetu Ta’i patrons and the endless alofa of many Pacific creatives who came home to Tautai with open arms and open hearts – ready to take on the world.”

Tautai is a repository of knowledge and understanding for the communities it serves while consistently reaching beyond their core audience. 

Although it is now a physical space, it refuses the colonial impulse to collect and obscure its mission by caring for objects. Its foundations are strong and enabled by inclusion and centering of non-western bodies and spaces. 

It does not shy away from real politics, it invites it. 

If most public institutions have a legacy that is tainted by long genealogies of violence and institutional injustice, public spaces like Tautai are here to spread their new fresh approach by injecting the personal into our art lives. If anyone could be 2020-ready to rethink the entire model of what cultural institutions do and are, it is Courtney Sina Meredith leading Tautai with clear focus and new constellations to steer their vaka towards. 

Written by Dina Jezdic for The Big Idea (source)
Published online 14 October, 2020

SALTWATER / Interconnectivity is on at Tautai Gallery until January 30, 2021
Gallery Hours: Mon – Fri, 11am – 4pm

For further information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

Highlights from our SALTWATER / Interconnectivity opening held on Thursday 15 October at TAUTAI Gallery with our beautiful arts community and family!

Curated by Katharine Losi Atafu-Mayo & Giles Peterson

Featuring: Shawnee Tekii, Peter Elavera, Gutiŋarra Yunupiŋu, Te Ara Minhinnick, Telly Tuita & Katharine Losi Atafu-Mayo

Opening Night Performances by: 4 Thaa Kulture, LALO & Rosanna Raymond

Video by No Six

SALTWATER / Interconnectivity runs until January 30, 2021
Gallery Hours: Mon – Fri, 11am – 4pm

For more information please email us.
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

Fakaue lahi to everyone who came through on Thursday night to support, witness and celebrate an incredible exhibition!

Check out the photo gallery’s below!

‘SALTWATER / Interconnectivity’ is such a special show and we acknowledge Katharine and Giles for their vision and bringing together this group of talented artists. To Telly, Te Ara, Shawnee, Peter, Kat and Gutiŋarra, we are so honoured to have each of your works in the gallery.

Fa’afetai tele lava to everyone who made Thursday such a special night. A huge shout out to the extraordinary performers – Fili and Noah from 4TK, Ankaramy and the LALO crew and Rosanna Raymond.

Ngā mihi nui ki a koe to the community for coming out and sharing in the celebrations with us, this space is for you and we hope to see you all again soon!

“SALTWATER/Interconnectivity foretells Tautai’s ongoing commitment to artists from Te Moana Nui a Kiwa. Presenting an understanding of reality in the present – within urban and sacred realms: the ever-flowing Moana/Solwara connects us all.”

– Courtney Sina Meredith, Tautai Director

All Photos by Isoa Kavakimotu

SALTWATER / Interconnectivity is on at Tautai Gallery till January 30, 2021
Gallery Hours: 11am – 4pm

For further information please email us
Tautai.org  #tautai4lyfe

SALTWATER / Interconnectivity

Tautai Gallery is transformed to embody the Moana / Solwara worldview

Co-curators Katharine Losi Atafu-Mayo and Giles Peterson have transformed the Tautai Gallery to embody the Moana/Solwara worldview with SALTWATER/Interconnectivity on until January 30, 2021.

Peterson references the late Teresia Teaiwa, ‘she summed it up so well – we sweat and cry salt water, so we know that the ocean is really in our blood – this is the key ingredient for the building blocks of life, it’s also the essence of who we are and captures the incredible journey of navigating the Moana / Solwara.’ Atafu-Mayo and Peterson understand fully the flow of life, the two first meeting as teacher and student. ‘I taught Kat but I find myself learning so much from her, it really has been quite incredible, she’s amazing,’ he says of their collaboration.

The six exhibiting artists are drawn from Aotearoa and across Te Moana Nui a Kiwa; – Peter Elavera, Katharine Losi Atafu-Mayo, Te Ara Minhinnick, Shawnee Tekii, Telly Tuita and Gutiŋarra Yunupiŋu. Their lived experiences magnified through the largeness of the exhibition.

‘We’re using a grand scale to highlight its focus from our incredible artists and that will be apparent to those visiting the show,’ says Peterson and Atafu-Mayo. The curators are excited that the show’s narratives around social justice, equity, gender and sexuality identity, climate change, language diaspora and ancestral knowledge are viewed uniquely through a Moana / Solwara worldview.

SALTWATER / Interconnectivity runs until January 30, 2021
Gallery Hours: Mon – Fri, 11am – 4pm

For further information please email us 
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

Talofa lava! Introducing DJ, Documenter and Performance Installation Artist Tuafale Tanoa’i aka Linda.T!

Samoan | Lufilufi, Sasa’ai, Leauva’a 
Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa 
IG: @tuafale1962 | Twitter: @LindaT12dec
www.lindat.art

Her practice aims to document and share community stories, generating a living archive. Her kaupapa has been described as one that is based on koha – often made with and gifted back to the communities she is engaged with. 

Tuafale shares an insight on her 2 part documentary short called Chasing Chaka 2018: A Healing Adventure (a rough cut) created during her Fale-ship residency. 

Part 1 of Tuafale’s documentary short – Chasing Chaka 2018: A Healing Adventure (a rough cut).

“It was an enjoyably intense experience. I was glad to be home to focus on different aspects of the build & the many choices which shrunk as time disappeared. Reflecting on my builds – there’s been a definite covid tinge to them.Having a week to focus on one project has been a gratifying gift.” 

– Tuafale Tanoa’i 

Enjoy Part 2 of Tuafale’s documentary short – Chasing Chaka 2018: A Healing Adventure (a rough cut).

Q+A with Tuafale & Marie

Marie sits down with Tuafale to chat about her Fale-ship journey and driving force behind her travel adventures and getting to see the “Queen of Funk” aka Chaka Khan in real life!

Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:  
Marie Filipo 
Musician, Motivational Speaker 
Samoan/Chinese 
South Auckland, Aotearoa 
@marie_filipo | @mariefilipomusic 

View all the FALE-SHIPS here

For further information please email us 
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

Covid-19 update from Tautai HQ

Tautai HQ will re-open from Tuesday 1st September 2020
Office hours: Monday – Friday 9am-5:30pm 

Afio mai, Aere mai, Malo e me’a mai, Fakatalofa atu, Veikidavaki, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Ulu toni mai, Welkam, Haere mai! 

We hope that everyone is staying safe, our alofa goes out to the creative community in Tāmaki.  

Now that Auckland is moving into Alert Level 2.5 we will be adhering to government guidelines around Covid-19. 

The safety of the community and our staff is our top priority, therefore we will be taking the following precautions to help keep our fale safe: 

• If you are unwell, stay home. 
• You must scan the QR code upon entry or fill out the sign-in sheet. We suggest downloading the Covid Tracer app if you haven’t already. 
• The use of masks and hand sanitiser is essential when visiting Tautai, we will provide both at the door if needed. 
• Our doors will remain closed during the alert 2.5 period, please ring the doorbell when you arrive so that we can buzz you upstairs. 
• Please be safe when visiting our gallery, practice social distancing with other visitors not in your bubble and with our staff. 
• If you would like to arrange a meeting at Tautai HQ please email tautai@tautai.org. We will not allow drop-ins during this time. 
• Lastly, gatherings are restricted to 10 people and we will be strictly enforcing this in our gallery and offices. This is for the safety of the community and ourselves! 

Our exhibition Moana Legacy is still on till the 18 September and we will ensure 
that our visitors can access the exhibition safely in it’s final weeks. Our gallery is open Monday – Friday, 11am – 4pm. For those who cannot come into the space you can still experience the exhibition online

We have been working hard to stay connected during lockdown, check out our weekly Fale-ship residencies that have been shared during lockdown and will carry on until the end of the year. Find them here

Stay up to date on our annoucements by following us on our social channels and joining our mailing list.  

Thank you for your ongoing support during this tough time and stay safe aiga!  

Meitaki ma’ata, 
Team Tautai 

Tautai Gallery and HQ – Level 1, 300 Karangahape Road
Tautai online – Facebook | Instagram | Website | Twitter | Youtube | LinkedIn 

For general enquiries please email us
Visit our contact page for further information
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

Thank you to everyone who came to First Fridays August!

Reflecting on our incredible relaunch of First Fridays held in our new Tautai Gallery space for the first time amongst our current Moana Legacy exhibition.

“First Fridays is where we share our own stories, sing our own songs and imagine our own futures!”

– Courtney Sina Meredith, Tautai Director

First Fridays is a once a month community event hosted by Tautai. After its debut in 2019, First Fridays has attracted thousands of creatives and art-lovers across Aotearoa and Australia. Our August event was the first of 2020, it was a wonderful evening of talanoa and music, featuring a variety of Tamaki Makaurau based artists.

Check out the photo gallery from the night below!

The night was hosted by Teokotai Paitai. Our first guest speaker was Contemporary Practitioner of Hiapo and curator of Moana Legacy, Cora-Allan Wickliffe. Followed by an intergenerational talanoa between multi-disciplinary artist Naawie Tutugoro and her father Luc Tutugoro. Lastly, the night was closed with a performance by up-and-coming hip hop artist Diggy Dupe!

All photos by Isoa Kavakimotu

For further information please email us
Tautai.org  #tautai4lyfe

First Fridays August was an amazing evening of inter-generational talanoa and performance.

Featuring Cora-Allan Wickliffe, Naawie Tutugoro, Luc Tutugoro, Diggy Dupe, hosted by Teokotai Paitai

“Our monthly meeting of minds – First Fridays. Where we share our own stories, sing our own songs and imagine our own futures…”

– Courtney Sina Meredith, Tautai Director

Video by No Six

For more information please email us
#tautai4lyfe #tautaifirstfridays #followourwave

On Friday July 3 we opened Tautai Gallery and made history together!

We welcomed the community into our gallery for the first time with inaugural opening exhibition Moana Legacy.

Check out the Opening Night photo gallery’s below!

Our new expanded space was officially opened by Prime Minister and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, The Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern alongside a host of speakers including Founding Patron Fatu Feu’u, Representatives from Ngati Whatua and Creative New Zealand and our Board. We also acknowledge the attendance of The Right Hon. Carmel Sepuloni, Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage.

Curated by Cora-Allan Wickliffe, Moana Legacy marks a moment in the history of Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust opening its first gallery space.

Featuring artists: Ahsin Ahsin, Cora-Allan Wickliffe & Kelly Lafaiki, Gina Ropiha , Israel Randell, Mereani Qalovakawasa, Naawie Tutugoro, Rangituhia Hollis and Talia Smith

“This is a new chapter for Tautai, a historical moment in which we are honouring our heritage and moving forward together”

– Courtney Sina Meredith

All Photos by Isoa Kavakimotu

Moana Legacy has now ended.
Gallery Hours: 11am – 4pm

For further information please email us
Tautai.org  #tautai4lyfe

We have launched the highly anticipated Tautai Fale-ship Home Residency digital series!

TAUTAI FALE-SHIP Home Residencies will feature 20 Moana artists each week over five months through our website and social media platforms between July – December 2020

FEATURING:
Natasha Ratuva | Tui Emma Gillies & Sulieti Fieme’a Burrows | Iata Peautolu | Elisabeth Kumaran | Lyncia Muller | Sani Muliaumaseali’i | Keva Rands | Jaimie Waititi | Chris Van Doren | Jasmine Tuia | Tuafale Tanoai | Melissa Gilbert | Salvador Brown | Christopher Ulutupu | Fa’amele Etuale | Rawiri Brown | Tyla Vaeau | Michael Mulipola | Ashleigh Taupaki | John Ioane

Moana artists make some of their best work at home; at the kitchen table, in living rooms surrounded by family, in bedrooms and garages, in home studios where we feel safe and connected to those around us. We are constantly creating and thinking of new ideas, informed by the people and places that give life to our creativity.

“Now is the time, more than ever, to celebrate and support artists in our own back yard.”

– Courtney Sina Meredith, Tautai Director

Artists will undertake a 1-week deep dive into exploring the creative processes behind their work and share an insight into their home practice as artists in residence, responding to a period of global transformation through a localised lens. Experienced digitally but grounded in the physical, the TAUTAI FALE-SHIP Home Residencies place value on the everyday experiences of Moana artists operating in their own centres.

This initiative aims to encourage meaningful connections through the digital Moana as we slowly navigate a new sense of normality due to the global pandemic of COVID-19.

Follow our wave as we navigate the digital Moana together:
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

For further information please email us
Tautai.org
#LocalThinking #LocalMaking #tautai4lyfe

Tautai Pacific Arts Trust has reopened on K Road

A wise man once said, “great art feeds a family for generations”.
That man is Fatu Feu’u ONZM, the founder of Tautai, New Zealand’s leading pacific arts organisation.
The Tautai Pacific Arts Trust has now reopened in the city as a space where people can not only see art but can do art.

Breakfast got a sneak peek at how it’s looking.

More information:
Moana Legacy, 6 July – 18 September at Tautai Gallery

Meet the Artists of Moana Legacy: Ahsin Ahsin, Cora-Allan Wickliffe and Kelly Lafaiki, Rangituhia Hollis, Gina Ropiha, Israel Randell, Mereani Qalovakawasa, Naawie Tutugoro

For further information please Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

Tautai Gallery is a niu space with a rich legacy.

Over 30 years ago Tautai’s founding patron Fatu Feu’u and his peers gathered with a vision to create belonging and community for Pacific artists.

Fast forward to 2020 and Tautai Gallery is the fulfilment of this enduring ambition.

Contemporary Pacific art now has a dedicated platform right in the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau.

Truly a night to remember!

Video by No Six

For further information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

“It’s really important our community shows up for us. Without them what’s the purpose of having our work?”

– Cora-Allan Wickliffe

Hear more about our opening exhibition Moana Legacy from curator and artist Cora-Allan Wickliffe 

We can’t wait to share this epic exhibition with you all!

Moana Legacy has now ended.
Gallery Hours: 11am – 4pm

Meet the Artists of Moana Legacy HERE

For further information please email us.
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

Just as the Pacific arts sector has grown, Tautai has grown with it.

We are excited about our new gallery which will enable us to further support and serve our community.

“Nearly 40 years ago… I didn’t even think we were going to have a Tautai organisation and to have this space now – it’s just amazing.”

– Fatu Feu’u, Tautai Founding Patron

Stay Creative, Stay Connected!

For further information please email us.
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

Moana Legacy

Multi-disciplinary show that heralds Tautai’s new space

6^th July – 18^th September, 2020 
Tautai Gallery  Mon – Fri 11am – 4pm

Moana Legacy is Tautai’s first exhibition in its new gallery space, the show has been developed from an existing partnership with Blak Dot Gallery, Naarm (Melbourne) featuring moana artists working in both Aotearoa and Australia. Continuing the conversation in Tautai’s new expanded space in the heart of Auckland, this show offers up assorted approaches to the idea of legacy.

As artists of the moana, one often looks back to move forward, contemplating the connections to ancestors and finding a place within a narrative that is as deep as the ocean itself. Our ancestors left behind stories of legend with impressive characters, some continue to shape our contemporary stories of today. 

A legacy is the story of someone’s life, it is something that a person leaves behind to be remembered. Legacies are pathways that guide people with their own decision-making – inspiring them to build a legacy of their own.

With this in mind, the artists in this exhibition investigate notions of legacy  and their link to the moana. Featuring photography, installation, video, sculpture, hiapo and painting, Moana Legacy is a celebration of our own legacies and what it means to be an artist of the Pacific

Curated by Cora-Allan Wickliffe, this show features Ahsin Ahsin, Cora-Allan Wickliffe & Kelly Lafaiki, Gina Ropiha, Israel Randell, Mereani Qalovakawasa, Naawie Tutugoro, Rangituhia Hollis and Talia Smith.

Moana Legacy runs from 6 July – 18 September, 2020.

Moana Legacy has now ended.

For further information please email us 
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

Postcards Unlocked

Digital postcards from Pasifika artists across Aotearoa and beyond

Postcards Unlocked was a digital activation featuring 40 artists over 40 days. The project was launched during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown in Aotearoa to encourage meaningful connections through the digital moana to uplift our community and celebrate Pacific creativity. Additionally, Postcards Unlocked provided some financial relief for the community, as each featured artist was gifted a koha.

Every postcard offered a peek into the creative process and inspiration from members of Tautai’s treasured Pasifika arts community – covering visual arts, music, dance, tatau, design, poetry, prose, performance, film, fashion, and emerging art forms. The mixture of participating artists allowed us to tautoko some well-known names as well as emerging talents working in a variety of mediums. 

The activation used Tautai’s social media channels as a platform and included artists at all stages of their careers, from all over Aotearoa and beyond. Using the digital moana we extended the reach of Pacific art during a time when people were using the internet more than ever. Originally the tagline for Postcards Unlocked was “30 days 30 artists” but due to the overwhelmingly positive response to the project we showcased an additional 10 artists, resulting in the 40 postcards over 40 days. Tautai felt the alofa from our community with many likes, shares, comments, and new followers across our social channels – the Tautai Facebook Page now has over 5,000 followers!

Tautai exists to uplift and celebrate Pacific art in its many forms. We acknowledge the participating artists who made every day a journey of discovery for our aiga and supporters. As we ease our way out of lockdown in Aotearoa we are adapting to meet the needs of a changing world. Placing our makers and our thinkers at the forefront of all we do – there are new opportunities on the horizon grounded in the resilience and innovation of Postcards Unlocked.

The Entire Postcards Collection

For further information please email us.
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

Contact Tautai

Looking to connect? Please do! We’d love to hear from you

At Tautai we champion Pacific creativity, so if you’re an artist, researcher, curator, educator, student, writer or journalist and would like to contact Tautai, there are several ways to get in touch.

Office Hours: Mon – Fri 9–5:30pm
Gallery Hours: Mon – Fri 10–4pm, closed weekends. Gallery is currently closed for install.

After Hours:
We frequently have activated events which often run outside office and gallery hours.
To keep abreast of our activities subscribe or check out the latest on our website.

Physical Address:
Tautai HQ and Gallery,
level 1, 300 Karangahape Road, Newton,
Auckland 1010, Aotearoa New Zealand

Postal Address:
Tautai Pacific Arts Trust
PO Box 68 339, Wellesley Street West,
Auckland 1010, Aotearoa New Zealand

Tautai Online:
Facebook | Instagram | Website | Twitter | Youtube | LinkedIn | Pre-2020 Web Archive

Tautai Information
Your first port of call, if you’re not sure what you need, email Tautai Info and Zoe will send you in the right direction.
Zoe Lewis, Tautai Assistant – ddi +64 9 376 1665 | +64 21 065 1656

Tautai Gallery
Curious about an artist or wanting information on upcoming Tautai exhibitions and activities? Email Tautai Gallery and you’ll soon hear from our gallery expert Gloriana.
Gloriana Meyers, Gallery Assistant – ddi +64 376 1665 | +64 27 688 8518

Tautai Administration
Wanting to find someone specific or book in a meeting or anything logistical? Email Tautai Admin and Danielle will help you out – she runs everything.
Danielle Meredith, Operations Manager – ddi +64 9 376 1665 | +64 22 561 4098

Tautai Director
Interested in finding out about the future of Pacific creativity in Aotearoa? Needing an expert opinion on Oceanic expression? Email any of the above contacts first, or reach out to the Tautai Director and Courtney Sina Meredith will reply in due course.
Courtney Sina Meredith, Director – ddi +64 9 376 1665 | +64 22 532 0806

For general enquiries please email us.
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

About Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust

Over the past 30 years we have grown to become Aotearoa’s leading Pacific arts organisation with a multidisciplinary focus.

Office Hours: Mon–Fri, 10am – 5:30pm

Welcome to Tautai, Aotearoa’s leading Pacific arts organisation.

Located in Tamaki Makaurau, Aotearoa New Zealand – Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust is a charitable trust dedicated to championing Pacific arts and artists. Tautai was formed in the 1980s when leading Samoan artist Fatu Feu’u and his peers came together with a shared aspiration to support and promote Pacific visual artists.

In the years since, we has grown to become Aotearoa’s premiere Pacific arts organisation with a multidisciplinary focus. We bring artists and the wider Tautai aiga together through a range of events and activities locally and globally.

Proudly supported by Creative New Zealand, Foundation North and Fetu Ta‘i Patrons, Tautai is able to provide unique opportunities for the Oceanic arts community. Situated in the heart of Auckland’s CBD on Karangahape Road, Tautai’s newly expanded premises now includes a gallery space dedicated to showcasing the works of contemporary Pacific creatives all year round. In addition, Tautai’s full programme of activities and events include live-streamed artist talks and performances, a brand-new international strategy, workshops, internships and partnership initiatives that encourage growth in the sector.

Tautai draws on the Samoan word for navigator and illustrates the organisation’s commitment to guiding moana arts in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Tautai’s Board of Trustees is chaired by leading Pacific artist Lonnie Hutchinson (Ngāi Tahu, Sāmoa), she is supported in her role by fellow Trustees: Brenda Railey (Secretary), John Gandy and Stephen Tamatoa Cairns.

“Tautai is a place, a people and a purpose.” – Director, Courtney Sina Meredith 

For further information please email us.
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe

Tautai Online
Contact Us | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Twitter | Youtube | LinkedIn | Pre-2020 Web Archive

Afio mai to the new Tautai HQ

A fresh beacon of Pasifika creativity in Auckland’s art district

Level 1, 300 Karangahape Road, Auckland, Aotearoa

Official Opening of Tautai’s Gallery, Friday 3 July

With major funding secured from Creative New Zealand, the new Tautai headquarters places them alongside other key organisations such as Te Papa and Auckland Art Gallery as a platform for amplifying Pacific creativity.

When Tautai HQ reopens, it will be to a beautiful expanded space of over 500 square metres, with a myriad of new initiatives planned for the coming year. Tautai’s Director Courtney Sina Meredith says the extra space, which includes a dedicated gallery, will enable Tautai to expand on its current programmes and activities from a central location.

The key contributing factors that make up Tautai is the work we do within education and institutional facilities, with artists, industry and our fundraising abilities. With this new expansion comes greater opportunity in all these areas.

Artist support
If you are an artist interested in becoming part of Tautai’s creative community please follow our facebook page, which is regularly updated with new opportunities.

Tautai Oceania Internship Programme
Tautai’s treasured internship programme, now in its seventh year, is currently paused due to COVID-19.
If you are interested in becoming part of our internship programme in future either as a host organisation or an intern, please contact us via email. Check out our coverage on our 2019 internship programmes.

Fundraising
Tautai is a Toi Tōtara Haemata investment client, our main source of funding comes from Creative New Zealand. We also receive generous support from Foundation North and our Fetu Ta’i patrons. Tautai  work with additional networks to further strengthen the creative Pacific community. In 2020 we plan  to expand even further, connecting in with aligned Oceanic arts organisations and Pacific media to profile and uplift our arts aiga.  

Tautai Gallery
Open Mon–Fri 10–4pm | Gallery Opening Friday 3rd July, 4:30pm
Level 1, 300 Karangahape Road, Newton, Auckland.
PO Box 68 339, Wellesley Street West.

For further information please email us.
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe