Postcards Unlocked #33  | Tiliitaua Florence Ulutunu

My art practice is a process of un-learning and re-learning. That’s the best way I can describe it. I work mainly with textiles that are indigenous to Sāmoa, but my work is also inspired by other practices such as tātatau and Sāmoan oratory and mythology.

Photo courtesy of artist, Tiliitaua Florence Ulutunu.

Growing up in Aotearoa, gagana Sāmoa and aganu’u fa’asāmoa were both encouraged at home- my parents and grandparents were raised in Sāmoa, so most of my work stems from that foundation. My identity is very much rooted in who I come from, so when I look to my tuaa/ancestors, I’m very humbled to see that they too were makers, but most of all, I am empowered by their courage- they didn’t spend a lot of time overthinking the process, they just made things.

 Art is the bridge which connects me forward in time to my ancestors. Forward, because their legacies serve as both compass and blueprint

so when I paint or when I weave, I’m learning to navigate reality through an ancestral lens. A lot of the time though, my vision is blurry- which is why this is an art practice lol.

At the moment, I am working on an indigenous Sāmoan installation. It has been a long process- lots of behind the scenes mahi, but also one that I am almost always in awe of. I am so humbled and grateful to the lineage of Oceanian makers who have paved the way for me. Thank you.

-Tiliitaua Florence Ulutunu

The 'Postcards Unlocked' Project featured 40 artists over 40 days via Tautai’s social media platforms as we navigated new waters during the 2020 Aotearoa Lockdown.

Learn more about the project here.