Looking to connect with us? Please do! We would love to hear from you
Keva has grown her brand Papa Clothing creating inclusive clothing that is inspired by the women in her family and their connections to the Pacific.
Do you have a real and personal passion for contemporary Pacific arts? Come and join our team! We currently have roles available…
Chris’s works have evolved over the years and still retain the essence of the vaka, the land and sea with flow movement, lines and form.
Jasmine explores the concepts of the Pacific body and indigenous Samoan narrative through print, photography, moving image and tapa (Siapo) making.
James explores how Moana artists position ourselves around decolonisationcan and reposition the trajectory to centre tipuna rather than colonisation.
We hope that everyone is staying safe, our alofa goes out to the creative community in Tāmaki.
Cora-Allan Wickliffe talks about the revival of Niuean hiapo is a tradition that will be passed onto her children and the next generations to come.
Follow Lyncia’s Fale-ship journey this week as she explores the ways in which she improvises and creates movement at home instead of in the studio.
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.
We are excited to launch the highly anticipated TAUTAI FALE-SHIP Home Residency digital series!
From kete and hiapo to MS Paint and neo-pop crocodiles, Tautai Gallery celebrates Pacific art in all its forms. – The Spinoff
Tautai Pacific Arts Trust has reopened as a space where people can not only see art but can do art.
Breakfast got a sneak peek at how it’s looking.
Tautai Gallery is a niu space with a rich legacy right in the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s opening was truly a night to remember!
Hear more about our exhibition Moana Legacy from curator and artist Cora-Allan Wickliffe
Tautai founding patron Fatu Feu’u speaks about the growth of the Pacific arts sector
Exhibition open till Sept 18th 2020. Open Mon–Fri, 11am – 4pm
Courtney Sina Meredith and Janet Lilo at home with VIVA
Our activation Postcards Unlocked showcased 40 artists over 40 days during Aotearoa’s lockdown.
Tautai is Aotearoa’s leading Pacific arts organisation with a multidisciplinary focus
Tautai Headquarters: Tautai will reopen its doors on July 3 to a beautiful expanded space of over 500 square metres
FALE-SHIP: Keva Rands
Ni sa bula vinaka, Aloha, Talofa lava, Kia orana! Introducing fashion designer and creative mind behind Papa Clothing, Keva Rands.
Fiji, Hawaiʻi, Sāmoa and Tongareva
Avondale, Auckland
IG: @papa__clothing
ww.papaclothing.co.nz
Keva’s Fale-ship highlights how one can always be learning and developing and how she maintains her sustainable practice.
From sewing and cutting on her dining room table, Keva has now grown Papa Clothing to have a new studio space in Avondale, creating inclusive clothing that is inspired by the women in her family and their connections to the Pacific.
Learn about the kaupapa of Papa Clothing and follow Keva’s process as she creates the ‘Mama Dress’ during her Tautai Fale-ship residency.
Keva has generously made her ‘Design Checklist for Small Labels’ a free resource!
DOWNLOAD IT HERE
– Keva Rands
“Papa’s goal is to uplift our Queer and Pacific communities, and this is reflected back through all of Papa’s imagery and behind the scenes team members and collaborators.”
Q+A with Keva & Rosanna
Rosanna sits down with Keva to talk about how her Fale-ship enriched her creative process and her inspiring new creative space in Avondale.
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
Rosanna Raymond | @rosannaraymond | Sistar S’Pacific
Cult.VA.tor, FAB.ricator, Acti.VA.tor
NZ Born Samoan/Palagi
– Keva Rands
“It’s been really amazing being able to talk to other people, ask questions, get definite industry-standard answers on what everything I’m doing is supposed to look like.”
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For further information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe
Job Vacancies
Do you have a real and personal passion for contemporary Pacific arts?
Extensive administrative and project management skills?
We are looking for a << Programmes Manager >> to take the lead on specific programming and event delivery within our Tautai annual programme of events and activities.
Media savvy with great networks?
Do you have a desire to work within and for Pacific communities?
We are seeking a << Strategic Communications Advisor >> responsible for establishing a comprehensive media network, developing and posting content across various platforms and promoting to a diverse audience.
If these sound like you, or someone you know please apply by sending a cover letter and updated CV to: tiare@manarecruitment.co.nz or call (09) 632 1108.
Applications Close: Monday 19th October 2020 at 5pm.
FALE-SHIP: Chris Van Doren
Fakaalofa atu! Introducing distinguished sculptor Chris Van Doren.
Niuean / Sāmoan / Dutch | Alofi North
North Shore – Auckland, Aotearoa
IG: @chris.van.doren.artist
Chris’s works have evolved over the years and still retain the essence of the vaka, the land and sea with flow movement, lines and form. Growing up in Aotearoa also influenced his practice, such as the beaches, landscapes, beautiful sunsets and memories of swimming in the Moana.
Tamaki Makaurau based artist Chris Van Doren has taken part in numerous exhibitions and symposiums across Asia-Pacific and has been a three-time finalist in Aotearoa’s World of Wearable Arts. Chris is currently a resident artist at Corban’s Estate Arts Centre, he uses methods and skills he developed in his background as a panel beater to work with unconventional materials when creating his sculptures.
Chris gives us a behind the scenes look into where he draws inspiration for his large scale sculptures. From sketches to miniature sculptures, we get an exciting glimpse into his creative process and workspace.
Chris shares motion images from his workshop of his progress on the Niuean katoua he has been carving. We get insight into the tools and techniques he uses when sculpting.
“I feel my creative process stems from when I made a workspace under our family house in Waiuku when I was a young man. I created things like huts in the forest, from material sources found in the neighborhood, like bits of wood and steel from empty houses and other things I could find..”
– Chris Van Doren
Chris shares a montage his concepts, ranging from previous works to his works in progress. Here he highlights his techniques and methods he employs to achieve a smooth and effortless finish to all his sculptures!
Final Works
Titled “FIRE” this video focuses on the process of making a traditional Niuean Katoua club. He began sculpting the Katoua in the first lockdown and was able to take the time during his Fale-Ship to complete it. Watch Chris make this incredible and rare piece of Niuean taonga here!
This video features many Chris’ large and small scale works he has created over the years. Chris communicates his deep knowledge and skill for sculpting traditional art forms. Here we see a number of his works in progress come to life.
Rosanna and Chris talk about his unique source of inspiration during this Q+A Talanoa!
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
Rosanna Raymond | @rosannaraymond | Sistar S’pacific
Cult.VA.tor, FAB.ricator, Acti.VA.tor
NZ Born Samoan/Palagi
Falefa/Tāmaki Makaurau
West Auckland, Aotearoa
FALE-SHIP: Jasmine Tuiā
Talofa lava! Introducing multidisciplinary practitioner Jasmine Tuiā.
Matautu and Gagaifo, Anoāma’a Falefā and Malifa Apia, Samoa.
West Auckland, Aotearoa
IG: @jasminetuia
Her practice explores the concepts of the Pacific body and indigenous Samoan narrative through mediums of print, photography, moving image and tapa (Siapo) making.
Influenced by histories, conversations, and land cases from the village of Matautu Lefaga Samoa, her work talks on the re-representation and reclamation of Pacific identity, as well as reinforcing the importance of indigenous voice.
“Being at home has reminded me of the importance of family dynamics and community kinships in the making and collecting of materials for my works – especially with my tapa/siapo practice…When preparing to dye tapa, I am accompanied and supported by my younger siblings. When I’m in my room writing or researching, my family’s noise somehow helps me focus and keeps me grounded. The same when I’m embroidering tapa; I either have to be in the kitchen with my parents making dinner, or be in our living room listening to music, while my younger brothers try to show me a tik tok dance. These are some of the things I acknowledge and enjoy in my process.”
– Jasmine Tuiā
Jasmine shares her creative workspace in West Auckland, her process experimenting with eco-dying and stitching of tapa and the family dynamics of working from home and how that has influenced her work.
Become fully immersed in Jasmine’s creative process as she works on stitching and dyeing her siapo, surrounded by the sounds of West Auckland and her family.
“Reflecting on our Samoan practices of Siapo, this residency explores how my making connects me to our Samoan Siapo narratives and textile practices through remembering and nurturing family oral stories.”
– Jasmine Tuiā
Bird song, pop music faintly playing and the crunch of dried leaves under foot. ‘sounds around home’ audibly captures Jasmine’s creative workspace and process. Sit back and enjoy the sounds of West Auckland.
Check out this video collage ‘West Akl” featuring Jasmine’s home, the back drop to her creative process and where she gathered materials to eco-dye her siapo.
Jasmine shares her completed siapo featuring her Aunty Shirley, accompanied by a piece of writing titled ‘Return to Paradise’ inspired by her village of Matautu Lefaga.
Rosanna sits down with Jasmine to chat about how creating at home has sparked conversations with her younger siblings in this Q+A Talanoa…
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
Rosanna Raymond | @rosannaraymond | Sistar S’pacific
Cult.VA.tor, FAB.ricator, Acti.VA.tor
NZ Born Samoan/Palagi
Falefa/Tāmaki Makaurau
West Auckland, Aotearoa
“…my little brother, he’s three, and he’ll just come ask me questions about the tapa, the siapo and why I do it. And then when I answer something he’ll ask more questions…which is really nice cause then I’ll just tell him stories my great grandma has told me, even though he doesn’t understand it. I just hope somewhere in there it’s just engrained in his mind. That would be the highlight, just having conversations while making.”
– Jasmine Tuiā
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For further information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe
FALE-SHIP: Jaimie (James) Waititi
Kia ora koutou! Introducing multi-disciplinary artist Jamie (James) Waititi.
Maori (Te Whanau a Apanui, Te Rarawa, Ngapuhi) with French Canadian, English, Scottish, American, Norwegian descent
Waihau Bay, Aotearoa
@sissyboijay
James explores how we as Moana artists position ourselves around decolonisation and how we can reposition the trajectory to centre our tipuna rather than colonisation. This is called ReIndigenisation or ReMaorification / ReMoanafication.
With an obsession with ancient Maori stories, James is developing an understanding of a time when narratives of humankind were believed to have lived alongside the gods.
James was introduced to these stories through paintings, carvings, weaving and literature at a very young age and continues to find modern methods of storytelling to share this understanding with others; be it through regalia, performance, sound and digital media.
“The purpose of my submission is to speak to the process it took to reach my contribution for FAFSWAG’s 22nd Biennale of Sydney online exhibition CODESWITCH. My diptych digital works were made for computers or walls. The larger frames allow the artwork to encompass the viewer and seduce a sense of freedom in space; a sense of escapism. There is something nostalgic about escaping home, away from diaspora and back to the foundations of your cultural make up. I have returned home and with that the final layer of my work appeared and the work itself had new meaning.”
Jaimie (James) Waititi
‘Contemporary cultural motifs‘ | Jaimie Waititi 
‘The progression of the Banana Tree and Fanta with time and place’ | Jaimie Waititi 
‘a Mariah Sunset in a Corned Beef landscape’ | Jaimie Waititi 
‘Banana Palms in a Fanta Sky‘ | Jaimie Waititi
ReMoanafication – Wisdom: Ka mua, ka muri
“Our wisdom can only be knowledge for our kin if we process the information we have been fed before passing it on. Otherwise what is the point? When information is regurgitated through us unfiltered, what is the point? What is the point of a filter that doesn’t filter? If it is not for our kin, why do we exist?”
Jaimie (James) Waititi
ReMoanafication – The D and why I am done with it
“The grass is green where you water it and we are done looking over the fence and for me this is the essence of where my understanding and practice thrives. I thrive in ReMoanafication and that is why I am done with The D.”
Jaimie (James) Waititi
Rosanna and James connect over lockdown in this Q+A talanoa discussing creative processes and the importance of showcasing the diversity of Moana artists.
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
Rosanna Raymond | @rosannaraymond | Sistar S’pacific
Cult.VA.tor, FAB.ricator, Acti.VA.tor
NZ Born Samoan/Palagi
Falefa/Tāmaki Makaurau
West Auckland, Aotearoa
Listen in as James discusses the idea of ReMoanafication and how we can reclaim sovereignty without acknowledge colonisation…
“By claiming ReMoanafication I want to take that acknowledgement back to us as navigators! Constantly navigating the Pacific Ocean and that sense that we were always travelling between the islands and we were one, and that sense of unity…”
– Jaimie (James) Waititi
James discusses the importance of understanding hidden histories and where the transition between pre-colonial to colonial changed the way that we consider ourselves in particular Queer Moana people.
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For further information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe
Covid-19 Update
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
Artists Spotlight: Cora-Allan Wickliffe
Moana Legacy curator and artist Cora-Allan Wickliffe shares her love for Niuean hiapo and the works she created with her sister Kelly Lafaiki in memory of their beloved late grandfather Vakaafi Lafaiki. The revival of Niuean hiapo is a tradition that will be passed onto her children and the next generations to come.
– Cora-Allan Wickliffe
“It’s energy giving to me! Hiapo is a practise that fills me with energy, and I’m happy when I make it because my son enjoys watching me make my work. If I can have my little one sitting on my lap while I beat (hiapo), it’s a pretty good day!”
Moana Legacy is on at Tautai Gallery till 18 September
Click here for more Cora-Allan!
For more information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe
First Fridays August Photo Gallery
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
FALE-SHIP: Lyncia Muller
Mālō e lelei! Introducing Tongan choreographer and dancer Lyncia Muller
Tongan | Nuku’alofa, Fatai, Lakepa
South Auckland, Aotearoa
@cia_muller | Lyncia Muller
Follow her Fale-ship journey this week as she explores the ways in which she improvises and creates movement at home instead of in the studio.
Tamaki Makaurau based creative Lyncia Muller is passionate about dance, theatre and her cultural roots. Lyncia is a graduate from the Unitec Institute of Technology in Contemporary dance and the Pacific Institute of Performing Arts (PIPA). With a strong background in Urban, Pacific dance and Contemporary dance, she looks forward to contributing to this evolving arts industry. Lyncia has created dance and theatre works that have been performed at the Basement theatre, Pacific Dance Festival, and Auckland Art Gallery.
Lyncia gives us a glimpse of her creative workspace where she explores the poetry of Selina Tusitala Marsh and interprets her own rendition in her new choreographed dance titled ‘Promise Corners’.
“I love improvisation as it gives me the freedom to explore movement and to listen to my body.”
– Lyncia Muller
A sneak peak behind the scenes into Lyncia’s improvisation choreography – an integral part of her process and final development!
Watch Lyncia’s final choreographed piece titled ‘Promise Corners’
Song: Ladi6 – Ikarus
Q+A with Lyncia and INF
“I think it’s really exciting for me but… I think it’s more nerve wracking, for people to see my creative processes, my vulnerability and how I create choreography.”
– Lyncia Muller
Q+A Talanoa facilitated by:
Amon ‘INF’ Tyson | @infmusic | @infmusicnz
Artist, Director, Creative. 1 of 5 members of SWIDT
Songwriter/Producer – SWIDT
Samoan/Niuean
312 Onehunga, Aotearoa
swidt.co.nz
View all the FALE-SHIPS here
For more information please email us
#Tautai4lyfe
First Fridays August Highlight Reel
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
– Courtney Sina Meredith, Tautai Director
“Our monthly meeting of minds – First Fridays. Where we share our own stories, sing our own songs and imagine our own futures…”
Video by No Six
For more information please email us
#tautai4lyfe #tautaifirstfridays #followourwave
Opening Night Photo Gallery
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
– Courtney Sina Meredith
“This is a new chapter for Tautai, a historical moment in which we are honouring our heritage and moving forward together”
All Photos by Isoa Kavakimotu
Moana Legacy is on at Tautai Gallery till September 18
Gallery Hours: 11am – 4pm
For further information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe
About: Fale-ships
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
From the moana to K Road
From the moana to K Road: A new Auckland home for artists of the Pacific
From kete and hiapo to MS Paint and neo-pop crocodiles, Tautai Gallery celebrates Pacific art in all its forms.
Written by Gareth Shute for The Spinoff. 7 July 2020
After three decades in existence, Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust has launched its own gallery on Auckland’s Karangahape Road.
The first thing that hits you entering Tautai Gallery’s inaugural exhibition, Moana Legacy, is the range of works on show. On one huge wall is a mural of black humanoid crocodiles on a pink background by neo-pop artist Ahsin Ahsin (Atiu, Aitutaki), while the wall opposite has an illustrated hiapo (Niuean tapa cloth) made using traditional methods by Cora-Allan Wickliffe (Ngāpuhi, Tainui, Alofi and Liku) and her sister Kelly Lafaiki.
Elsewhere, a specially constructed frame holds ghostly photographs by Talia Smith (Cook Islands, Samoan and New Zealand European) and these sit across hangings of tiny, intricate kete made by Gina Ropiha (Ngāti Kahungunu/Ngāti Kere, Ngāti Raukawa/Ngāti Rakau) from her own hair, while around a corner a dark corridor is filled by an installation of neon blue tubes created by Israel Randell (Tainui, Ngāti Kahungunu).
Tautai founding patron Fatu Feu’u sees this gallery space as the eventual end point of work that he began over 30 years ago. In the 80s, he recalls Colin McCahon saying to him that the New Zealand art world was waiting for Pacific artists to make a serious contribution. The history of progress during the intervening years is evident all around you at Tautai.
Wickliffe’s work is an example of this. She speaks of the influence of legendary NZ Niuean artist John Pule and how their families both came from the same village in Niue. His work proved that the imagery of hiapo had a place in fine art and her work takes the logic one step further – his work was on canvas, while her hiapo are created using traditional materials and patterns. By bringing hiapo out of the museums and into a gallery space, Wickliffe pushes forward the argument for their place in the contemporary artistic conversation.
Wickliffe took this notion further in her introductory speech for the opening exhibition (which she curated). Pointing to one work, she told the audience it was an unfinished work dedicated to her grandfather who passed away last year. She then proceeded to “complete” the work by painting thick strokes of black paint over the face of the piece, erasing the illustrations and thereby evocatively expressing her loss, while the audience watched on in shocked silence.
Many of the artists on display in the opening exhibition also took part in Tautai’s groundbreaking show in Naarm/Melbourne last year, so the return to Auckland had a sense of homecoming. For Ahsin Ahsin, the trip was his first involvement with Tautai and he found it refreshing to connect with other artists from a Pacific background without any pressure to perform their culture in their art.
“I got to hang out with brown artists, which is quite rare for me. I’m based in Hamilton and there’s not many brown artists in the art community… It’s just about self-expression. I’m from the Pacific so that makes it Pacific art, but I do what I do.”
Ahsin Ahsin
In the future, Ahsin hopes to collaborate with another artist who showed at both exhibitions, Rangituhia Hollis (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu), since they both also create digital work. Hollis’s advanced digital imagery had its own juxtapositions within the current exhibition: firstly with three charcoal/painted works he created to sit alongside them, but also in contrast with the videos created by Brisbane-born Fijian artist Mereani Qalovakawasa, which purposefully use the simplistic software of MS Paint to add a primacy to her work about life with a chronic illness (lupus).
Hollis was among four artists with Māori heritage in the show (making up half the participants), which reflects Tautai’s recognition of moana nui a kiwa – that all Pacific peoples derive from the same ocean. Hollis says he got a huge amount from being involved in the Tautai exhibition in Naarm/Melbourne, since it also involved trips to local galleries hosted by indigenous curators and opportunities to examine the Pasifika collection at the museums. He is equally impressed by the open, expansive layout of the new gallery:
“I think the utilisation of the space is amazing. I’ve seen it in other forms when it was Artspace and the Film Archive. Artspace had a lot of storage space but this seems to be space for people, not storage for archived items.”
Naawie Tutugoro (Kanak and Anglo-Argentinian/European) is one emerging artist involved in Moana Legacy who understands how far Tautai has come to get to this stage. Her father, Luke Tutugoro, was involved with Tautai from its inception and when she was a child he enlisted her to paint the garage of their Grey Lynn villa with nuclear-free messages as part of a Tautai-led campaign. She therefore appreciates the gravity of having her work on display on the opening night.
“It feels like tonight we are planting a tree that is going to be very sacred for the generations to come. I feel very lucky to be opening this space and have work that instigates that.”
– Naawie Tutugoro
The Moana Legacy exhibition is open until September 18.
Written by Gareth Shute for The Spinoff (source)
Published online on Tuesday July 7, 2020
For further information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe
Gallery Tour with John Campbell
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 Opening
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
Tautai Gallery’s first curator
– Cora-Allan Wickliffe
“It’s really important our community shows up for us. Without them what’s the purpose of having our work?”
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 is on at Tautai Gallery till September 18
Gallery Hours: 11am – 4pm
Meet the Artists of Moana Legacy HERE
For further information please email us.
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Founding Patron, Fatu Feu’u
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.
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Exhibition: Moana Legacy
Moana Legacy
Multi-disciplinary show that heralds Tautai’s new space
6th July – 18th 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.
Kelly Lafaiki and Cora-Allan Wickliffe 
Ake ake ake (whakareretanga), 2020 | Israel Randell 
Gina Rophia 
Detail of video work. 2019 | Mereani Qalovakawasa 
Ahsin Ahsin
Moana Legacy is on at Tautai Gallery till 18 September 2020
For further information please email us
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe
Courtney Sina Meredith Viva 2020
Power Art Couple Janet Lilo & Courtney Sina Meredith At Home In Avondale
Award-winning artists Courtney Sina Meredith and Janet Lilo find love in everything they do
Written by Andrew Glenn for Viva. March 25th 2020
Sitting down with artists Courtney Sina Meredith and Janet Lilo in their Avondale home and listening to their story is compelling and uplifting. It’s a story filled with mana; tales about love, family, community and giving back.
It would be easy to just label them a “power” art couple; Courtney is an award-winning poet and the director of Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust; Janet is an influential visual artist with permanent works in Te Papa and the Auckland Art Gallery.
Yet it’s soon evident that family and community are their most important works to date; each of them excelling in their respective roles as mothers, lovers, civic leaders and artistic pioneers.
Lately, Courtney’s focus has been on Tautai. Previously inhabited by Artspace (which has moved downstairs), the gallery is expanding to take over the whole of the first floor to include a new space, which is a first in Tautai’s 34-year history.
The new gallery, when it opens, will be a platform for artists making room for more exciting Pasifika-curated exhibitions. “Artspace has been an emblem for contemporary New Zealand art. So now to occupy that space and make it all about contemporary Pacific art, well there’s something really beautiful in that and something really now,” says Courtney.
“When we talk about the rise of Pacific art,” she continues, “I genuinely believe there’s a new consciousness, or an awareness, that [Pasifika artists] have always been here. That these aren’t new voices, it’s an awareness of those voices, and an infrastructure for those voices, and I’ll say it — new funding for the amplification of those voices — where we’re seeing change. More and more we’re having people in leadership positions who are saying ‘This is important to us; these are our key values’; it’s not just dressing.”
She and Janet have known each other for years, since they were both high school students at Western Springs College, but fell in love and moved in together just a year ago. They share their home with Janet’s boys — Harry 12, Milo, 9, and Manaia, 3 — and Courtney’s “baby” Sadie Rose, a dachshund/shih tzu puppy.
Courtney has lived in the home for nearly two years; it’s been in a family trust for some time and several years ago she helped her father renovate it. With vast open views to the Waitakere ranges, the house has an enormous, slightly sloping backyard that the boys turn into a giant waterslide in summer.
Their love affair represents the merger of two incredibly talented Pacific artists. In addition to her role at Tautai, Courtney is an award-winning poet, playwright, fiction writer and musician.
She’s earned critical acclaim for her published works, including Tail of The Taniwha, a book of short stories, and The Adventures of Tupaia, the story of a Tahitian priest navigator who sailed on board the Endeavour with Captain Cook on his first voyage to Aotearoa.
Janet, an artist, lecturer and social commentator, uses digital photography, video, and multimedia installations to explore issues of popular culture, and is prestigiously represented in permanent collections at the Auckland Art Gallery and Wellington’s Te Papa.
“I went to all of her shows, I fan-girled her!” says Courtney, who is four years younger than Janet. After high school their paths would criss-cross over the years.
When Courtney was 24, and working at Auckland Council, she curated an art project and recruited Janet to be involved. Subsequently through their mutual involvement with Tautai — Janet was previously on the board — a seed of friendship was born that later blossomed into love.
“Part of why we fell in love and why I’m so in love with Janet and so obsessed with her — I’m infatuated, I really am,” says Courtney, “[is that] there’s a natural ease in our relationship.
“I’ve never admired someone as much; I’ve never had a partner who I look across to and feel so inspired by, or in awe of, constantly. I find magic in all that she is, in all that she does.”
Courtney Sina Meredith
Their mutual love is palpable. Displayed on a living room sideboard table are a collection of works by Courtney, including the Poetry New Zealand 2020 Yearbook which features a love poem written from Courtney to Janet.
Will they plan on having children of their own? “It’s a work in progress,” says Janet, adding with a laugh. “We already have a fourth child, Sadie.”
Although Janet only recently moved in with Courtney, she is no stranger to Avondale, having grown up in the suburb with most of her family close by.
She’s also no stranger to giving back to her community; as a trustee of Whau the People Charitable Trust, an Avondale-based arts collective, she co-runs the All Goods Gallery, a non-profit space for arts, established a year ago.
Her next big project is organising The Whau Arts Festival, set to be this June. “I have always worked with community in the context of arts. There’s a balance: to do the little things, you do the big things,” she explains.
After the Christchurch attacks a little over a year ago, Janet decided to show her solidarity with the Avondale Islamic Centre by anonymously leaving an artwork on the fence inscribed ‘ISLOVE’, along with the hundreds of other tributes from other strangers.
Twelve months on her sign is the only message the centre has not taken down. “The community is our home,” says Janet. “It’s probably my most favourite work of 2019 in terms of what it means to me.”
Their house is a “work in progress” from a decorative point of view, mainly due to the fact they’ve only recently moved in together. “We haven’t been together for so long to ‘grow up’ a house. These things take time,” says Janet, showing me one of her favourite pieces — a milk bottle punctured by thousands of tiny holes, which she explains is the result of the dog’s teething period. “That’s quintessentially New Zealand.”
The walls are filled with pieces of deep sentimental value. Courtney’s pieces include a photograph taken by Ralph Brown of Coven, a collective of queer artists activating an arts space. Below that is a painting by Courtney’s step-grandmother Patricia Melhuish, of a beach scene in Napier.
Janet’s recurring use of bananas as iconography — think of her 6m-high light poles on the Karangahape Rd overbridge in 2017 — began with her original work, Banana (2012), which now sits on the living room wall behind the sofa.
She explains her use of bananas was originally inspired by her late Samoan grandmother, who used to hand out bananas to her and her cousins when they were children.
For the Viva shoot to accompany this story Janet has set up a temporary installation of corflute laptops — emblazoned with MAKE WRONG RIGHT NOW — in the backyard. It’s an edit from her work Man in the Mirror that was part of the 2019 Honolulu Biennial, where she represented New Zealand. “I quite like using things that have a local or global context,” she says.
Above the mantle in the living room is a painting by Courtney’s cousin Danielle Meredith — appropriated from an early childhood photo, which her grandfather still carries in his wallet — that holds a special place in Courtney’s heart.
“It’s a little portal to a moment in time when you were young and everything was perfect and you hadn’t experienced anything horrible yet.”
Courtney Sina Meredith
As a child growing up in Glen Innes, Courtney Sina Meredith developed a deep love for her grandmother who she fondly remembers as an incredibly kind and empathetic soul; she remembers her working tirelessly in a denim factory for much of her life, having immigrated from Samoa at the age of 17.
Despite her grandmother’s death just a couple of years after the photo was taken, the legacy of her hard work and passion is what inspires Courtney every day. “She encouraged me from a young age to speak my mind and have a voice,” she says.
“From her challenges and her journey, to having a grandchild who’s now opening this beautiful big space [Tautai]; the journey for me to be able to do these things began a couple of generations back.”
Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust was set to reopen on March 26, with Moana Legacy, an exhibition curated by Cora-Allan Wickliffe. It has now been postponed due to Covid-19. Check Tautai.org for updates.
Written by Andrew Glenn for VIVA (source)
Published in print on Wednesday March 25, 2020
For further information please email us
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Postcards Unlocked bookend
Postcards Unlocked
Digital postcards from Pasifika artists across Aotearoa and beyond
Postcards Unlocked – 40 days, 40 artists.
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.
“Founded on sharing and alofa, Postcards Unlocked sustained our community through a time of great change. I’m proud of the belonging and the connectedness we created together.”
Courtney Sina Meredith, Tautai Director
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.
“I [was] proud as a pineapple to be a part of this amazing Postcards Unlocked project, which was nothing short of brilliant.”
Dessa Bluu, Postcard artist
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.
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Contact Tautai
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
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.
“Great art feeds a family for generations.”
Tautai Founding Patron, Fatu Feu’u
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 began 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.”
Tautai Director, Courtney Sina Meredith
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
Tautai HQ
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
Tautai HQ, Level 1, 300 Karangahape Road
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.
“We are setting up a hub in the city for Oceanic creatives where they can come and talk about their work, we have a huge gallery space for art, music, exhibitions, readings, film, performance – you name it, we can do it all here”
Courtney Sina Meredith.
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.
“This is a new chapter for Tautai, a historical moment in which we are honouring our heritage and moving forward together”
Courtney Sina Meredith
For further information please email us.
Tautai.org #tautai4lyfe