“Opim Eye” is an exhibition of some of Papua New Guinea’s latest contemporary art. The exhibition will feature artwork by Jeffry and Mairi Feeger, Gazellah Bruder and Laben Sakale John. Jeffry Feeger was the recipient of the inaugural Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust and Pacific Cooperation Foundation Artist Residency in Auckland earlier this year. The phrase ‘Opim eye’ is a combination of PNG pidgin and English and literally means ‘to open your eyes’. The concept behind the exhibition is that art provides a different lens through which we can see the world. The exhibition will run in Port Moresby (ground floor of the Deloitte Tower), from 5 -8 May, 2009. For further details, contact opimeye@gmail.com.
Christchurch-based playwright, Victor Rodger, is the 2009 Ursula Bethell Writer in Residence at the University of Canterbury. “I’m the first of Pacific Island descent to have this residency, which is pretty wicked, particularly with me being a Christchurch boy,” he says. Taking his writing from the stage to the page, Victor will use part of his residency to adapt his fourth play, My name is Gary Cooper, into a novel. The comedy-drama was produced by the Auckland Theatre Company in 2007, and starred Robbie Magasiva of Sione’s Wedding fame. It received rave reviews and was described by Metro magazine as “a darkly witty demolition of palagi fantasies about Polynesia”. Victor will work on a couple of other play projects including Village People, a Creative New Zealand commission about four Samoan siblings who each live in a different country and are reunited in Samoa to watch the youngest become a matai (chief). Being of Samoan and Scottish descent, Victor says the themes of race, racism, race relations and identity inspire most of his work. His first play Sons won four Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards in 1998, including most outstanding new writer and most outstanding new New Zealand play. In 2001, he won the Sunday Star-Times Bruce Mason Playwriting Award. Since 2000 he has been a storyliner and now dialogue writer for the long-running television soap opera, Shortland Street, a “bread and butter” job which he says helps him “flex (his) writing muscles” and was a great way to pay off his credit card.
Victor Rodger. (Image courtesy of the University of Canterbury)
Aivale Cole is the winner of the 2009 Lexus Song Quest, New Zealand’s most prestigious singing award. The 32 year old Perth-based opera singer won $25,000 plus travel and study scholarships at the Auckland final. She impressed the judges with her performances of John Carter’s Peter Go Ring dem Bells, Strauss’ Es Gibt ein Reich and Verdi’s Ritorna Vincitor (Aida) in the orchestral section. Aivale said was ecstatic to win: “this was my last opportunity to be in the contest so I knew I had to give it everything,” she said. Judge Siegfried Jerusalem had high praise for all six finalists but said that Aivale Cole was “technically and musically ahead”. He added, “the way she presented and performed was very nearly perfect. I have no doubt she has a wonderful career ahead of her.” Past winners of the contest include Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Dame Melvina Major, and Jonathan Lemalu.
Tagata Pasifika feature on Aivale Cole at the 2007 Lexus Song Quest
“Fresh Horizons Out West” is a three-day workshop for 30 nominated students from secondary schools in Waitakere City (West Auckland) which comes to an end today. With the encouragement of tutors Teremoana Rapley, King Kapisi, Janet Lilo and Venusi Taumoepeau, students have composed their own songs and music and filmed their performances. After three days of hard work, the end result is the completion of their own music videos! A special showcase of students’ work is held today (22 April, 2009) at Unitec Waitakere. The Tautai Trust says “it’s a great chance for friends, family and the community to see the creative results from these young and talented students”. Two other such workshops will be held specifically for Pacific Island students in other parts of the country. Tautai Fresh Horizons workshops are not ‘art classes’ but opportunities to experiment, to try new art-related ideas or hone special talent. By engaging well-known artists as tutors, backed up by senior tertiary students as assistants, secondary students are given visible role models – people they can relate to who are successfully working in the arts. The aim is to give the students a stimulating art experience under the eye of positive, enthusiastic role models, and reinforce the value of further education.
The finalists for the 2009 S³ Pacific Music Awards have been announced with Ladi 6 and Nesian Mystik both named in four categories each. Ladi 6 is a finalist for her highly anticipated and long awaited debut solo album, ‘Time is Not Much’ in the Pacific Blue Best Pacific Female Artist, Niu FM Best Pacific Urban Artist and the S³ Best Pacific Music Album categories. She is also a finalist in the APRA Best Pacific Song category for her catchy single, ‘Walk Right Up’. Nesian Mystik is a finalist for its album, ‘Elevator Musiq’, in the Niu FM Best Pacific Urban Artitst, Radio 531P1 Best Pacific Group and the S³ Best Pacific Music Album categories. Number 1 smash hit, ‘Nesian 101’, has earned the band a place as finalist in the APRA Best Pacific Song category. Nesian Mystik brings together musicians of Maori, Tongan, Samoan and Cook Island ancestry. A full list of the finalists can be viewed on the Pacific Music Awards website. The awards are in their fifth year and winners will be announced at Manukau City’s TelstraClear Pacific venue on May 23. Members of the public can cast their vote for the People’s Choice Award by logging onto www.pacificmusicawards.org.nz.
Ladi 6. Image courtesy of Pacific Music Awards Trust and Pead PR.
Nesian Mystik. Image courtesy of Pacific Music Awards Trust and Pead PR.
The vanguard Christchurch Pacific arts movement Pacific Underground will present its latest play Angels in July as part of the the 2009 Christchurch Arts Festival. The play is about Stevie and Sing, cousins and best friends since Sunday school. They had talent, a band and dreams of stardom. But just before they hit the big time, Sing leaves the band to dedicate her talent to God and the Church. Eleven years on, the play merges with the present on the eve of Stevie’s 30th birthday with memories of White Sunday, weddings, a Christian Crusade and a misfit band. The play is a journey of music, friendship, loyalty and forgiveness. Written by Tanya Muagututi’a and Joy Vaele, directed by Robert Gilbert and Pos Mavaega, Angels is staged in collaboration with The Court Theatre and will show at The Forge, 22 July – 15 August 2009. There will be a special community season held at Aranui High School’s Performing Arts Centre leading up to the full season at The Forge.
An exhibition exploring the many ways in which artists approach making artworks in moving image opens in Newmarket, Auckland on Monday 27 April 2009. Curated by Steven Ball, the collection represents the ways in which established and emerging artists in New Zealand have absorbed and transformed the moving image. The artists include James Charlton, Judy Darragh, Lonnie Hutchinson, Leilani Kake, Shigeyuki Kihara, Janet Lilo, Shona McCallagh, Ryuzo Nishida, Reuben Paterson, Nova Paul, James Pinker, Lisa Reihana and Tracey Tawhiao. The exhibition is at Webb’s Auction House, 18 Manukau Road, Newmarket and runs until 2 May 2009.
"Top 16" by Janet Lilo. Mixed media installation: 2 DVDs, beer crates, 1200 photographs. Edition of 1, 1 artist proof. Dimensions variable. 2007/2008.
TAKE 40 is an exhibition of contemporary art by 40 artists and designers from New Zealand and the Pacific Rim from curator Giles Peterson’s personal collection. It features multimedia work including graffiti art, painting, drawing, animation, hip hop music video, sculpture, photography, installation, embroidery, textile, street fashion and tattoo. The artists features several Pacific artists including Niki Hastings-McFall, Lonnie Hutchinson, John Ioane, Juse1, Leilani Kake, Shigeyuki Kihara, Andy Leleisi’uao, Janet Lilo, Siliga David Setoga, Ema Tavola, and Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi. The artists come from Aotearoa/New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, the Pacific coast of Mexico and Australia and their work explores a range of issues and concerns such as identity and identification, spirituality, the environment, globalization, technology, representation, colonisation, and what it is to speak from the position of different cultures. The show celebrates over fifteen years of independent curating, including landmark exhibitions Island Crossings (2000) – the first exhibition of contemporary Maori and Pacific art to tour Australia; Out of the Blue (2001); and Urban Pacific (2007): all of national and international significance. Giles Peterson lectures at Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design and will present a curator’s floor talk on Saturday 26 April, 12noon – 1.30pm. The exhibition runs from 17 April – 9 May 2009 at the Fresh Gallery Otara.
It’s that time again to recognise the talent and achievements of New Zealand’s Pacific musicians. The fifth annual S3 (pronounced “ess-cubed”) Pacific Music Awards will take centre stage at Manukau City’s TelstraClear Pacific venue on 23 May 2009. The finalists will be announced on April 16 in the following categories: Best Pacific Music Album, Best Pacific Song, Best Female Artist, Best Pacific Male Artist, Best Pacific Urban Artist, Best Pacific Group, Best Pacific Gospel Album, People’s Choice: Best Pacific Artist, Phillip Fuemana Award (Most Promising Artist) and Lifetime Achievement. The Pacific Music Awards acknowledge the success of Pacific artists in New Zealand, celebrate and promote excellence in Pacific music and encourage young Pacific musicians to aspire to higher levels of achievement. The event is sponsored by S3, a Pacific community initiative to promote road safety among young drivers and pedestrians. Other sponsors include the Manukau City Council, APRA, the NZ Music Commission, Niu FM, Radio 531, Manukau Institute of Technology, TelstraClear Pacific, Pacific Blue and the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs.
Aspiring writers and artists are often looking for advice and inspiration as they forge their path towards success. This month, we are privileged to feature world renowned Pacific novelist, poet, artist, and academic: Professor Albert Wendt. Albert is a great pioneer of Pacific Literature and a much respected matua of Pacific arts and culture. He has published six novels, four collections of short stories, four collections of poetry, one play, and edited many anthologies of Pacific Literature. His writing has been translated into many languages and is taught throughout the world. Two of his novels have been made into feature films, and two documentaries have been made on his life and work. Of late, he has been busy painting and exhibiting his artwork. During the month of April, he gives his time freely to respond to the questions and comments of all individuals who would like to benefit from his expertise, experience, and mana. Click here to submit a question or a comment for Albert Wendt.
"Black Window 3" by Albert Wendt. Image courtesy of Albert Wendt
