Archive for May, 2009

Nesian Mystik Big Winners at the Pacific Music Awards

Nesian Mistyk were the big winners at the 2009 S³ Pacific Music Awards, taking away four awards including Nui Fm Best Pacific Urban Artist, Radio 531PI Best Pacific Group and the coveted Tui award for the Best Pacific Music Album. The group also walked away with the APRA Best Pacific Song award for the single “Nesian 101″. Well-known female hip hop and R & B artist Ladi 6, took out the award for Pacific Blue Best Pacific Female Artist for her debut solo album “Time is not Much”. Other winners on the night were:

• Devolo: NZ Music Commission Best Pacific Male Artist for “Heaven & Hell”

• Oyster Music – various artists: Best Pacific Gospel Album for “The Gospel According to…”

• Tigilau Ness: The Manukau Institute of Technology Lifetime Achievement Award

• “Sweet & Irie”: The Phillip Fuemana Award for up and coming artist

• South Auckland Community Church Band: The Manukau City Council People’s Choice Award

Also acknowledged for his outstanding achievements and success in the music industry internationally was Savage for his hit single “Swing”.

Sweet & Irie Wins Best Emerging Pacific Artist

South Auckland reggae band Sweet & Irie won the Phillip Fuemana Award for best up and coming artist at last weekend’s 2009 Pacific Music Awards. The band is the creation of singer/song writer Edward Ru (Lead Vocals). Born in South Auckland and raised in Otara, the Cook Islander grew up the hard way and watched his brother grow up to be a patched member in a gang. “I thought I didn’t want the same things for my kids, so through the music I thought I could change that path and work to be an inspiration and a role model to my family”, explains Ed. He enrolled in a tertiary course to learn the fundamentals of all instruments, bass and rhythm guitar, drums, keyboards and vocal training. After successfully completing the course he went on to do papers in contemporary music, graduating in 2005. In 2006 Sweet & Irie independently recorded and released ‘Ban the Burn’ an anti P song with a video that played on local music TV station C4. A year later they signed with Dawn Raid Entertainment. Sweet & Irie burst on the local music scene with the top 10 hit ‘Feels Like Magic’ in 2008 and the band has been refining its craft ever since.

My Girl by “Sweet and Irie”

Two Bens and a Diva

Three Pacific singing icons, Ben Makisi, Ben Lummis, and Rosita Vai will perform in Wellington at 7 pm on Saturday 30th May 2009. The event is organised by the Fa’afou Anauli family and will take place at the St Patrick’s College Hall ( 581 Evans Bay Parade, Kilbirnie). Supporting acts include Lil Mo and Nella, the Miramaz Hip Hop Group, the Rongotai College O le Ala Choir, and Orene Tia’i.

Anna Crawley Brings Sculptural Vitality To Professional Premises

Samoan born artist Anna Crawley is exhibiting 1,2,3, a collection of her work, at the offices of the award winning Spasifik Magazine. Anna has gained international recognition for her self-taught work which fuses wire, wood, paint and irrigation tubing. She was one of 10 artists from around the world to show in New York’s Agora Gallery in 2006. The exhibition covers three periods in her 10 year career and is a collaborative venture between Pacific gallery Okaioceanikart and Spasifik Magazine. It can be viewed between 12pm and 2pm weekdays from 27 May - 30 June 2009 at the Spasifik Magazine offices, Level 3, 4 Kingston Street, Auckland Central. Other works are held at okaioceanikart and can be viewed on the gallery’s website.

Pacific Contemporary Performing Arts Residency in Samoa

The Pacific Arts Committee of Creative New Zealand, in partnership with The National University of Samoa, is calling for applications from artists to undertake a residency at The National University of Samoa in Apia, Samoa. The residency is for a period of three months (mid August 2009 - mid November 2009) and is open to all established contemporary performing artists of Pacific Islands heritage residing in New Zealand. Previous resident artists include Nathaniel Lees and Jim Vivieaere. The selected resident will receive an artist’s stipend, accommodation and travel costs. The closing date for applications is 5 pm Friday 22 May 2009.

Competition for Young Artists: Call for Submissions

A new national competition organised by Intersect New Zealand, is seeking young artists (18 – 25 years) to create a proposal for an artwork around the idea of ‘Waiora – Arteries of Aotearoa’. The proposal should reflect Waiora (Maori word for “healthy water”) as the lifeblood of our nation, our identity, our people, and our health and well-being. Artists are encouraged to investigate issues of fresh water consumption and supply, and how cultural diversity can both challenge and unify people of New Zealand and the Pacific in protecting our most precious natural resources. The artwork can take the form of a painting, sculpture, photography, video/film, or another creative installation. Proposals are due by Wednesday, 3rd June 2009 and the artwork must be created and installed by the winning artist by 3rd July 2009. The winning proposal will be worth $2000. For more details, visit the Intersect Competition web pages.

Janet Lilo Wins Japan Opportunity

Auckland video artist Janet Lilo is the latest New Zealander chosen to be a resident artist in Sapporo, Japan, under the JENESYS residency programme. Ms Lilo who is of Maori, Samoan and Niuean ancestry, has exhibited her video and multimedia installations in New Zealand and overseas. Her Parklife video installation highlighted local hip hop culture within the Avondale area of West Auckland and featured in the Telecom Prospects 2007 exhibition. In her solo exhibition, TOP 16, she looked at how thousands of New Zealanders, especially Maori and Pacific youth, profile themselves and keep in touch with friends and share news and photos on the social networking site Bebo. Her work has also been included in group exhibitions in Honolulu, Taiwan, Indonesia, France, Germany and Australia. Janet Lilo has a Master’s of Art and Design in Visual Arts in Video and Installation from AUT University and is a board member of the Tautai Contemporary Art Trust. The JENESYS programme is supported by the Asia New Zealand Foundation and includes round-trip airfares between Japan and New Zealand as well as accommodation and other expenses for a period of two months.

Tagata Pasifika Feature on Janet Lilo in 2007.

“South Style” Exhibits at Fresh Gallery Otara

Streetwear designs from two Manukau artists, Ofa Mafi and Allen Vili, will be on display at Fresh Gallery Otara during a new exhibition that opens on 15 May 2009. The South Style exhibition will display the designs inspired by the fashion and style of Manukau youth. A participant in last year’s Villa Maria Cult-Couture event, Ofa Mafi explores modern clothing with screen-printed messages and labelling. Allen Vili uses hoodies and other clothing as an unconventional canvas to display his skill in spray-painting. Also showing at Fresh Gallery Otara will be eight large-scale photographs of Manukau youth showing off their personal style. The striking images taken by Vinesh Kumaran at this year’s ASB Polyfest capture the inspiration behind the exhibition. “Polyfest is where the young people really strut their stuff; it’s an absolute hot bed of ‘south style’,” says Ema Tavola, Pacific Arts Co-ordinator for Manukau City Council and curator of “South Style”. “The exhibition captures the confidence and conviction of these young people, representing who they are through what they wear,” she says. South Style shows at Fresh Gallery Otara from 15 May to 6 June. A public programme featuring the artists in conversation with Steven Ball will be held on Saturday 23 May, at 12 noon.

Young Photographer Exhibits Images in Honour of Fatu Feu’u

Young Samoan photographer, Evotia Tamua, will share 28 images that offer a rare look into the world of famed Samoan artist Fatu Feu’u and his art making process. Fatu is currently celebrating 20 years of “A Life of Two Loves” – Samoa and Art, with an exhibition at the Okaioceanikart Gallery in Auckland. Evotia’s images document him at work at his Poutasi studio in Samoa. She will present her work during a floor talk at the Okaioceanikart Gallery on Saturday 9th May 2009, from 3 to 4pm.

Andhy Blake to Coach Miss World New Zealand 2009

Christchurch fashion personality Andhy Blake, has been appointed to coach Magdalena Elizabeth Schoeman for the Miss World Finals in Johannesburg, South Africa later this year. The Fijian fashion director will style her entire wardrobe, teach her how to walk, coach her about speaking to the media and how to answer questions during the contest. Andhy was one of the judges for Miss World New Zealand on April 25th, 2009.

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