Saumo Puapuaga
Sāmoan American Painter
Postcards Unlocked #16

My art inspiration focuses on the concept of family and the diaspora of culture. It seeks to express how contemporary Sāmoans accommodate a shift in history to upkeep the olden traditions of Fa’a Sāmoa and fa’alavelave. My art is reminiscent of the earliest Sāmoan traditional motifs used in siapo and tatau. It merges the present-day Sāmoan way of living and its distant past. Moreover, it’s a depiction of how over time the traditions that maintained our communities have evolved to adapt to the influences of the modern world. It is a storyline of how my people struggle to maintain their cultural identity and journey to find their place in a fast changing world.
As such, my quick and methodical process demonstrates this cultural change. It is decorative, rhythmic, and symbolic.
“The therapeutic process of exploring elements of art allows me to approach a blank canvas and transform it through intuitive strokes and endless colour combinations.”
SAUMO PUAPUAGA
It is my perspective of the human condition shaped by my triumphs, heartbreaks, and love. Each canvas is coloured by nature, the beauty of island living and its connection to human care and dignity. My collection tells a story of coming of age and my grappling with the elusiveness of cultural identity and hope.
Aroma of Love | Saumo Puapuaga E le’o se niu le mea lea II | Saumo Puapuaga
Fia Mea, fia ai | Saumo Puapuaga Passing time in Waimanalo | Saumo Puapuaga
Saumo Online
Facebook: Artby Saumo|Instagram: @artbysaumo
The Postcards Unlocked Collection
View Saumo’s original postcard here.
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