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THIS ISSUE: Filipe T ohi, Chair’ s Report, Fresh Horizons, Key Points of T autai Program for Next Year , T angata o le Moana Festival, Photo Gallery , Events/Exhibitions A cclaim is somewhat confusing for Filipe Tohi. On one hand, it is an honor to represent Tonga and New Zealand on a global stage. Tohi is often chosen for international exhibitions and publications, but in some respects he expects to be. Such is the faith he puts in lalava, the Tongan art of sennit lashing, which informs nearly all of his sculptures. Lalava was the practice that enabled Pacific migrations, the technology that created tools, canoes, shelters and houses, and created a visual language of enormous depth and complexity. In addition to being a master craftsman and perhaps the sole practitioner of sennit lashing in Polynesia, Tohi is also a modern artist who works in a variety of media. His contemporary work is based upon the presentation of lalava’s geometric forms and patterns and these latest projects have moved his artistic practice significantly forward. “2007 has been a phenomenal year for Filipe,” observed a friend, noting the variety of exhibitions, conferences and residencies he took part in during the last twelve months. As the year progressed, new audiences were exposed to the beauty, scientific principles and technological aspects of ancient Polynesian culture, “I am so pleased, “ he says, “to be able to bring lalava to a wider audience.” Tohi returned to stone carving when he co-founded the Manuland Inaugural International Stone Symposium at Mangere Bridge in Manukau. Fourteen sculptors from around Aotearoa and the Pacific took part in a two-week carving project that highlighted the creativity and diversity of contemporary stone sculpture. Despite the difficult nature of applying intricate geometric patterns to stone Tohi feels it is an ideal media for representing lalava, “I have always tried to apply lalava to the shape of the stone” because “it will stay forever.” For Tohi, a difficult creative process makes a more rewarding final product. In April, Tohi donated lalava to a community house in the Hawaiian Homelands area of Waimea, Hawai’i. While there he trained two young Hawaiians in basic lashing techniques. He says, “Teaching others is key to reminding them of how their ancestors created [things]. It is important to let them know it is part of their community history.” Tohi participated in an artist’s panel at the Quai Branly Museum in Paris, part of the Ninth Pacific Arts Association Conference in July. There was standing room only when Filipe presented his work along with Shigeyuki Kihara and Brett Graham. At the Easter Island Foundation conference in Gotland, Sweden, Tohi connected with archaeologists working around the Pacific. A forthcoming project originating at the conference involves creating adzes with Tutuila basalt for students at the American Samoa Community College during the Festival of Pacific Arts. Several exhibitions prompted him to explore new materials such as plastic and laser cut aluminium, and provided a venue for wall mounted, flat lalava wool arrangements called haukulasi. In addition to a solo show at Otautahi in Christchurch, which celebrated the tenth anniversary of the Macmillan Brown Artist in Residence Program, Tohi was part of “Dateline: Contemporary Art from the Pacific” at the Neuer Berliner Kunstverein in Germany. In the “Island Affinities” exhibition at the CSUN Gallery in Los Angeles, he showed the customwood constructed Halalangi / Sky Pathway. Tohi created two identical four-meter wooden sculptures for “Le Foulaga” called Uakupenga / Two Nets. Placed side-by-side, back to front, Tohi’s goal was to present expanded vertical and horizontal lines. He explains, “it is important to learn new ways of looking at things” referring to the importance of dimension and depth in understanding why things look the way they do. This he feels is in contrast to western art ideals that emphasize surface and exteriors rather than components and assembly. The Tongan Research Association Conference met in Nuku’alofa, Tonga and Filipe delivered a paper titled, “Haulea - Transformation from Symbol to Words.“ It was an opportunity to discuss sacred and secular aspects of lalava and he demonstrated how he uses symbols for recreating an Patron: Fatu Feu’u (Patron) Board of Trustees: Gina Cole (Chair), Loloma Andrews, Ron Brownson, Tui Hobson, Colin Jeffery, Michelle Khan, Fuli Pereira. Tautai Office: Christina Jeffery (Trust Manager), Metuanooroa Tapuni, Vaimaila Urale. PO Box 68 339, Newton, Auckland Filipe Tohi Tohi and Soli Niheu, Waimea, Hawaii, Aprill 2007. Photo: H Scothorn Manulele (Running Bird) Photo: H Scothorn

December 2007

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THIS ISSUE: Filipe Tohi, Chair’s Report, Fresh Horizons, Key Points of Tautai Program for Next Year, Tangata o le Moana Festival, Photo Gallery, Events/Exhibitions

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Acclaim is somewhat confusing for Filipe Tohi. On one hand, it is an honor to represent Tonga and New Zealand on a global stage. Tohi is often

chosen for international exhibitions and publications, but in some respects he expects to be. Such is the faith he puts in lalava, the Tongan art of sennit lashing, which informs nearly all of his sculptures. Lalava was the practice that enabled Pacific migrations, the technology that created tools, canoes, shelters and houses, and created a visual language of enormous depth and complexity. In addition to being a master craftsman and perhaps the sole practitioner of sennit lashing in Polynesia, Tohi is also a modern artist who works in a variety of media. His contemporary work is based upon the presentation of lalava’s geometric forms and patterns and these latest projects have moved his artistic practice significantly forward.

“2007 has been a phenomenal year for Filipe,” observed a friend, noting the variety of exhibitions, conferences and residencies he took part in during the last twelve months. As the year progressed, new audiences were exposed to the beauty, scientific principles and technological aspects of ancient Polynesian culture, “I am so pleased, “ he says, “to be able to bring lalava to a wider audience.”

Tohi returned to stone carving when he co-founded the Manuland Inaugural International Stone Symposium at Mangere Bridge in Manukau. Fourteen sculptors from around Aotearoa and the Pacific took part in a two-week carving project that highlighted the creativity and diversity of contemporary stone sculpture. Despite the difficult nature of applying intricate geometric patterns to stone Tohi feels it is an ideal media for representing lalava, “I have always tried to apply lalava to the shape of the stone” because “it will stay forever.” For Tohi, a difficult creative process makes a more rewarding final product.

In April, Tohi donated lalava to a community house in the Hawaiian

Homelands area of Waimea, Hawai’i. While there he trained two young Hawaiians in basic lashing techniques. He says, “Teaching others is key to reminding them of how their ancestors created [things]. It is important to let them know it is part of their community history.” Tohi participated in an artist’s panel at the Quai Branly Museum in Paris, part of the Ninth Pacific Arts Association Conference in July. There was standing room only when Filipe presented his work along with Shigeyuki Kihara and Brett Graham. At the Easter Island Foundation conference in Gotland, Sweden, Tohi connected with archaeologists working around the Pacific. A forthcoming project originating at the conference involves creating adzes with Tutuila basalt for students at the American Samoa Community College during the Festival of Pacific Arts.

Several exhibitions prompted him to explore new materials such as plastic and laser cut aluminium, and provided a venue for wall mounted, flat lalava wool arrangements called haukulasi. In addition to a solo show at Otautahi in Christchurch, which celebrated the tenth anniversary of the Macmillan Brown Artist in Residence Program, Tohi was part of “Dateline: Contemporary Art from the Pacific” at the Neuer Berliner Kunstverein in Germany. In the “Island Affinities” exhibition at the CSUN Gallery in Los Angeles, he showed the customwood constructed Halalangi / Sky Pathway. Tohi created two identical four-meter wooden sculptures for “Le Foulaga” called Uakupenga / Two Nets. Placed side-by-side, back to front, Tohi’s goal was to present expanded vertical and horizontal lines. He explains, “it is important to learn new ways of looking at things” referring to the importance of dimension and depth in understanding why things look the way they do. This he feels is in contrast to western art ideals that emphasize surface and exteriors rather than components and assembly.

The Tongan Research Association Conference met in Nuku’alofa, Tonga and Filipe delivered a paper titled, “Haulea - Transformation from Symbol to Words.“ It was an opportunity to discuss sacred and secular aspects of lalava and he demonstrated how he uses symbols for recreating an

Patron: Fatu Feu’u (Patron) Board of Trustees: Gina Cole (Chair), Loloma Andrews, Ron Brownson, Tui Hobson, Colin Jeffery, Michelle Khan, Fuli Pereira. Tautai Office: Christina Jeffery (Trust Manager), Metuanooroa Tapuni, Vaimaila Urale. PO Box 68 339, Newton, Auckland

Filipe Tohi

Tohi and Soli Niheu, Waimea, Hawaii, Aprill 2007. Ph

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Manulele (Running Bird)

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Chair’s ReportNi sa bula vinaka

In the last Chair’s report in September 2007 it was stated that Creative New Zealand had confirmed Tautai funding for two years. The funding

has in fact been confirmed for three years from 2007 to 2010. We are very appreciative of the confidence placed in Tautai in now granting funding on this basis.

As 2007 draws to a close we are looking forward to the program Tautai will deliver in 2008. Representatives of the Tautai Board recently attended a very positive meeting with representatives of the Creative New Zealand Board to discuss the planned 2008 program. In broad terms the program seeks to provide artist support and development, to foster audience awareness, and to build Tautai capabilities moving forward.

alphabet-- significant because he believes lalava was also a written language. Tohi returned to Tonga in October and installed a steel sculpture called Vaikalia / Canoe Waters at the entrance of the Pacific Forum Building. Lalava was an ideal inspiration for the decoration of where Pacific delegates assembled for their meetings. He observes that, ”lashing is something that ties all Pacific people together in a common heritage.” Vaikalia / Canoe Waters depicts stacked canoes, a metaphor for the gathering of Oceanic cultures in one place. The interior was decorated with five large haukulasi in various colors, he explains “I am trying to show the depth of various patterns with the use of color. I am picking up with some experiments I started fifteen years ago.”

Perhaps the most rewarding experience in 2007 was a residency at the De Young Museum in San Francisco where he was given free reign to experiment with new materials in a large exhibition space. Filipe worked for a month creating a lalava installation with wooden sculptures and walls were covered with two-meter square haukulasi. Visitors became part of the installation by placing their own lalava crosses along one wall or laying wool on their own haukulasi. His residency project, Folau ki Fonua Lahi / Journey to the Big Land is credited with bringing in record numbers of the surrounding Tongan community and most rewarding for him was the chance to share Pacific culture and interact with visitors. November was spent in residence at the Oceania Centre in Suva at the University of the South Pacific. There he built four aluminum sculptures,

exploring new forms such as vertical aligned squares and human figures.

Aluminum has been a prominent feature of his work this year. He designed Matakimoana / Eye of the Ocean for the new Tangata o le Moana exhibition at Te Papa Tongarewa as well as Manulele / Running Bird for the Stoneleigh Sculpture in the Garden at Auckland Botanic Garden. The square aluminum tubes are lightweight, durable and easy to handle thus enabling him to create very large projects; Matakimoana is fifteeen meters long. The silhouette and figurative metal sculptures stem from a desire to present how lalava could have been “how ancestors had a representation of the world.” People may not understand lalava but they can see the shapes, “I make it so people can understand how the ancestors had their own view.” In the case of Manulele, Tohi was inspired by the grounds, water and plants at the Botanic Garden and created a bird moving through space. “Representation,” Tohi observes, “comes in many forms.”

The success will surely continue in 2008. Tohi has agreed to two carving symposia as well as projects in London and Hawai’i. “It’s not about me,” says Tohi, “it’s about spreading the message of our common Pacific heritage and the insights of our ancestors.” It’s clear that we all benefit as he continues to represent the best of art making, Polynesian technology and cultural heritage around the world.

Hilary L. Scothorn

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Untitled works at the Oceania Arts Centre, University of South Pacific, Fiji, Nov. 2007

Jean Clarkson with a student at Tautai Fresh Horizons at Whitirea earlier this year.

Watch the Tautai Website and the Pacific Arts Diary for News of Upcoming Events and Exhibitions*

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One of the programs that Tautai has consistently delivered for a number of years has been Tautai Fresh Horizons. With three year funding now in place the board has been able to make the decision to appoint a dedicated manager with the specific task of developing the Tautai Fresh Horizons seminar program. We are very pleased that Jean Clarkson has agreed to take on this challenge. Jean is a former member of the Tautai Trust board and well known to our members particularly for her support of youth education.

Our decision to enhance the Fresh Horizons program in this way acknowledges our commitment to fostering as best we can the talent of the huge numbers of Pacific Island youth currently moving through the secondary school system in Aotearoa. We also wish to continue to implement a philosophy of widening Tautai people resources by employing people on a part time basis for short term projects.

I wish to specifically acknowledge all the people we have contracted in various roles and projects this year including Dagmar Dyck, Sheyne

Tuffery, Chris Van Doren, Lina Marsh, Fatu Feu’u, Jean Clarkson, Cerisse Palalagi, Leanne Clayton, Siliga Setoga, Itiri Ngaro, Janet Lilo, Shigeyuki Kihara, Ani O’Neill, John Ioane, Deborah White, Edith Amituanai, Filipe Tohi and Giles Peterson. Thank you all for your endless support of Pacific art and artists through the Tautai program.

I also wish to thank Nooroa Tapuni and Maila Urale for their enthusiastic commitment to administrative and artist support in the Tautai office at Artstation and in different projects throughout the year.

I wish to make a special thank you to Christina Jeffery for her tireless work and dedication as the full time Tautai Manager.

On behalf of all the Tautai Trust Board I wish you all the best for the festive season and the new year.

Vinaka vaka levu – Gina Cole (Chair)

Tautai Fresh HorizonsBased at AUT City Campus, this second set of workshops in 2007 provided

an opportunity for secondary school students from the North Shore and central city areas to take part in a three day arts experience in September.

The students were introduced to the wonders of fabric printing by Jean Clarkson who was assisted by Siliga Setoga, Dagmar Dyck took the painting workshop and was assisted by Leanne Clayton, and Itiri Ngaro and Janet Lilo took the moving image workshop. Cerisse Palalagi was the highly organised project manager. AUT were welcoming hosts and as we have come to expect from these workshops – some fabulous art was created. Students learnt new

skills, trying out mediums that they had not necessarily worked in previously and they revelled in the opportunity to spend time with the artists and hang out with new found friends.

At the end of the workshop, the completed artwork was packed up and taken to NorthArt Community Arts Centre in Northcote where it was exhibited alongside work by five current AUT students... Samuela Tukuafu, Salesa Pepe, Samantha Atasani, Fristar Viliamu and Vaimaila Urale. Vaimaila worked with NorthArt to organise the show which was called Malo Malo Malo and ran from 17 September until 3 October.

w w w . t a u t a i . o r g • t a u t a i @ t a u t a i . o r g December 2007

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...more images from Tautai Fresh Horizons at AUT

Malo Malo Malo Exhibition Opening at NorthArt

December 2007 w w w . t a u t a i . o r g • t a u t a i @ t a u t a i . o r g

Key Points of Tautai Program for Next Year

‘Tangata o le Moana’ FestivalIn October Tautai organised a group of art students to attend the Tangata o le

Moana Festival which celebrated the opening of the renewed Pacific Exhibition at Te Papa Tongariro Museum of New Zealand in Wellington. The Festival was held over Labour weekend and included arts and craft stalls as well as live music and dance performances. The opportunity to be a part of the Festival came about with Ani O’Neill being asked to decorate Te Papa with her installation art. To assist Ani, Tautai organised a group of volunteers from AUT, Elam, Unitec and Whitecliffe. Students jumped at the chance to work alongside Ani, who had earlier this year visited these institutions (including MSVA) to give artist mentoring sessions organised by Tautai.

Ani O’Neill taught her helpers new arts and craft techniques and innovative ways to use materials. She also passed on handy stitching and knotting tips, so it was special to learn these hands-on skills. Apart from creating colourful streamers and rafia pompoms for Te Papa’s entrance and foyer Ani also organised the interactive part of her installation. Over the weekend, crowds were treated to hair-pieces and flower broaches which were lovingly made and gifted by Ani and the group. The public also got to make their own individual pieces.

During the Festival the group got to meet and mingle with many other Pacific artists and musicians from around New Zealand. The trip was so successful that the group of volunteers has set up their own arts collective - ‘The Li’l Mama’s Art Klub’ with Ani as their Patroness and mentor. The collective see this as a positive way to actively get involved in community based art projects and to support each other throughout their studies.

Maila Urale

Tautai operates on the understanding that pacific artists remain independent of Tautai and come together collegially through their Tautai connection to participate

in art events and artist development opportunities.

Tautai is sometimes asked “what do we do”

There are many ways in which individuals have contact with Tautai, but few if anybody will be involved with Tautai across the full range of its activities. Therefore most people will only be aware of those parts of the program in which they have directly participated.

Formulating a program for the year evolves from a process of strategic planning, development of the business plan, and writing the annual funding applications. As the formalised planning for 2008 has now been completed you might be interested to read some of the key points from the 2008 program so you can see “what we do”.

This is a précis only of the main parts of the program of activities. Any of the trustees or Christina, Maila, and Nooroa are all very willing to expand on this outline for you and to discuss ideas you might have for Tautai.

Tautai will in 2008 continue its core program of activities that:

• provides artist support• promotes art exhibitions• develops artist networking• fosters audience awareness• resources education opportunities• facilitates professional development

There are some obvious changes that you will notice in the New Year:

The website is currently being updated and expanded. It will contain some new features, one of which is a blog site. There will also be more opportunity to publish feature articles and to show moving image works.

Another visible change will be to the pacific arts diary which will become a fortnightly communication and will have some format changes.

Some confirmed projects for the 2008 year include:

• Jim Vivieaere will curate an exhibition in March 2008• Tautai will have a presence at Pasifika 2008 in Western Springs• There will be three Tautai Fresh Horizon workshops during the year• Leanne Clayton will curate a mid year exhibition of tertiary students work

The Tautai program for 2008 has some key development aspects:

ART & ARTIST DEVELOPMENT -

• Identify and support new pacific curators and art writers • Tertiary and secondary students support will be increased • A touring exhibition will be developed with major institutions• There will be more professional development workshops for artists• Moving Image editing suite facility will be setup and its use supported• Tautai Residency currently in planning stage will be brought to fruition

MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT -

• Program Manager is appointed to expand Tautai Fresh Horizons• Programme continues to expand from the solid management base• Office based personnel support the artists and liaise with students• Communications strategy to be developed to enhance arts advocacy

FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT -

• Creative NZ funds dependency reduced to two thirds of total income• ASB Community Trust will contribute one quarter of the total income• Remuneration for tutors/events/staff lifted to over half of all payments• Tautai Fresh Horizons program is expanded through partnership funding

ARTS COUNCIL OF NEW ZEALAND TOI AOTEAROA

Watch the Tautai Website and the Pacific Arts Diary for News of Upcoming Events and Exhibitions*

Events/Exhibitions–January/February/March 2008

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Ph: 09-376 3889 • Fax: 09-376 3969Mob: 027-4826 302 • [email protected]

Design and layout of Tautai NewsletterDesktop Graphics LtdContact: Tagi Cole

Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust receives major public funding from Creative New Zealand and also receives significant funding from ASB Community Trust.

5 – 23 January: Cross-Currents @ Matakana Gallery, Leigh Road, Matakana. Includes Danielle Hulme and Sylvia Marsters.

until 12 January: 8 x 12 @ North Gallery, CoCA, Christchurch. Includes Kulimoe’anga Maka.

until 13 January: Sculpture in the Park @ Waitakaruru Arboretum, Hamilton. Includes Iosefa Leo, Fatu Feu’u, John Ioane.

24 Jan – 16 March: Te Taitanga: Bind together @ Southwest School of Arts and Craft, Texas. Includes John Ioane, Lonnie Hutchinson, Shigeyuki Kihara.

25 Jan – 8 March: Fish Eye – Lonnie Hutchinson @ MIC Toi Rerehiko Gallery, level 1, 321 Karangahape Road, Auckland.

25 Jan – 8 March: Ariki/Talking Tivaevae – Leilani Kake @ MIC Toi Rerehiko Gallery, level 1, 321 Karangahape Road, Auckland.

until 31 January: Stoneleigh Sculpture in the Garden @ Auckland Botanic Gardens, Manurewa. Includes Filipe Tohi, John Ioane.

4 Feb – 4 March: Hand in Hand @ Boomalli Urban Aboriginal Artist Cooperative & performance space, Sydney. Includes Shigeyuki Kihara, Sione Falemaka.

8 – 10 February: SPLORE08 includes Chris Charteris, @ Tapapakanga Regional Park on the Firth of Thames.

12 Feb – 1 March: Dusky Vixens. Nanette Lela’ulu @ Oedipus Rex, Khartoum Place, Auckland.

21 Feb – 8 June: Samoa Contemporary @ Pataka, Porirua.Lily Laita, Niki Hastings-McFall, Anita Jacobsen, Lorene Taurerewa, Shigeyuki Kihara, Nanette Lela’ulu, Lonnie Hutchinson, Genevieve Pini, Fatu Feu’u, Graham Fletcher, Greg Semu, John Ioane, Michel Tuffery, Andy Leleisi’uao.

22 Feb – 16 March: Chris Charteris @ ShapeShifter, NewDowse, Lower Hutt.

1 – 22 March: a Tautai exhibition curated by Jim Vivieaere will take place at Te Karanga Gallery, Karangahape Rd, Auckland.

3 – 28 March: Political World. Group sculpture show includes John Ioane @ Whitespace, Crummer Road, Grey Lynn.

Leanne Clayton with her work

‘Current’ Exhibition atWhitespace

November 2007

Andy Leleisi’uao & Salesa PepeCerisse Palalagi with her work

Opening Janet Lilo’s Exhibition ‘Top 16’St Paul St, Gallery 3, in October 2007

Veronica Vaevae at the opening Itiri Ngaro, Janet Lilo, Ani O’Neill

‘Ka ‘apai nuku, ka ‘apai rangi’ at Fresh Gallery Otara, November 2007