 The Art Auction held on 20 October 2009 at Webb’s raised more than $90,000 for tsunami relief efforts in the Pacific. The event was organised by the Tautai Trust with very generous support from sponsors Villa Maria Wines, Coopers beer, Phreon, Geon, Carlton Party Hire, Whitespace and the staff and management at Webb’s. Over 70 artworks donated by New Zealand artists were sold.
(Image from Webb’s website)
The Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust is pleased to advise that several young emerging Pacific artists are exhibiting their work at LeSa Gallery in Petone. The Embark exhibition features work by Marlaina Key, Daphiney Owen, Letufa Taniela, Loloma Andrews, Leanne Clayton, Taniela Taniela, and Fa’afetai Amituana’i. The exhibition opens on Friday 6 November and runs until 5 December 2009.
 Lower Hutt’s LESA Gallery is hosting an exhibition by Chris Van Doren, a sculptor of Niuean and Dutch descent. Chris has spent the last 6 years working as a full-time artist in Auckland before recently moving to Wellington. With a background in panel beating, Chris utilises the skills of his trade to sculpt copper, stainless steel, wood and stone into three-dimensional forms that reflect movement and flow, with a contemporary Pacific flavour. LESA Gallery was founded by contemporary Pacific artist Sheyne Tuffery and is situated at 268 Jackson Street Lower Hutt. This exhibition runs until 5 November 2009.
(Image from Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust website)
 Adi Koila Ganilau McBride is the guest international designer at the 2009 Style Christchurch fashion extravaganza. Adi Koila will be showcasing her Marama Dina Label alongside other New Zealand and international labels including Zambesi, Sakaguchi, NOM*D, Stitch Ministry, Aduki, Annah Stretton, and Emma Ford Swimwear. The show also features performances by Ladi6, one of several Pacific laureates at the recent New Zealand Music Awards. Under the creative direction of Fijian stylist Andhy Blake, Christchurch’s premier fashion event is part of New Zealand Cup and Show Week. It stages at the Isaac Theatre Royal on 12 November 2009. For more details visit the Style Christchurch website.
(Image courtesy of Style Christchurch)
 The Pacific Dance Fono, now in its third year, is one of the exciting attractions at the 2009 Manukau Arts Festival. The fono is a forum which provides capacity building, exposure and development for the Pacific Island dance community. The fono is to be held over two days, with a programme of practical workshops, panel discussions including a hip hop dance forum and master dance classes in Polynesian and Melanesian dance forms. The international guest artist for 2009 is Julia Mage’au Gray, director of Sunameke Productions, a Pacific Island performance group based in Darwin, Australia. Three new Pacific dance works will be developed as part of the Choreographic Lab, held during the preceding two weeks. The fono concludes with the launch of the new dance works in a special public performance. The Choreographic Lab will be held across three venues and is open for observation – a great learning opportunity for dancers, choreographers as well as teachers and students of dance. The event runs from 2 to 13 November 2009, Monday-Friday, 10 am-3 pm, at the Metro Theatre, Mangere East; Nathan Homestead Theatre, Manurewa; Otara Music Arts Centre, Otara. For more information ph (09) 815 5772 or email fono@danz.org.nz. The fono is presented by the Manukau City Council in partnership with DANZ and the Pacific Islands Dance Forum, with funding from Creative New Zealand.
 Celebrated Samoan artist and mentor, Fatu Feu’u is exhibiting work around the theme of Tagaloa, the Polynesian god of the universe. Feu’u is a pioneer of Pacific art in New Zealand and has successfully bridged the cultural traditions of Samoa and New Zealand through his expressive prints and paintings. This solo exhibition opens on 29 October 2009 at 6.30 pm, at Howick’s Creative Centre, 35 Uxbridge Road, Howick, Manukau. The exhibition runs until 18 November 2009 and is part of the Manukau Festival of Arts.
(Image of Fatu Feu’u’s Mata o Tagaloa from the Okaioceanikart Gallery website.)
 The highly anticipated first solo exhibition by Siliga David Setoga opens at Fresh Gallery Otara in South Auckland on Thursday 29 October 2009 (6-9 pm). Extending from his infamous PopoHardwear t-shirt series, Siliga David Setoga mixes graphic design, satirical commentary and consumer culture in this highly-anticipated and significant exhibition. In his work Siliga explores migration, education, the concept of home, and notions of identity. He makes reference to his cultural make-up in the following terms: lavalava, tattoo, corned beef, Jesus Christ, the Church, etc. He says, “my art practice is concerned with the semiotics of being Samoan in our New Zealand environment.” The limited edition No Sense Making Cents extended exhibition catalogue features an essay by Samoan academic, Dionne Fonoti. The opening night features a live performance by Pacific dub reggae band, Dreadline. The artist will deliver a floor talk at 12 pm, Saturday 14 November. No Sense Making Cents runs for three weeks from 30 October to 21 November 2009 and is a feature event of the Manukau Festival of Arts.
(Image courtesy of Fresh Gallery Otara)
 Christchurch poets, Fiona Farrell, Bernadette Hall, Ben Brown, Jim Norcliffe, Danielle O’Halloran, and Tusiata Avia are coming together to support the Samoan tsunami relief effort. Their one off show will be MC-ed by prominent Christchurch playwright, Victor Rodger, on Thursday 5 November, 5.30pm, at the Madras Café Bookshop, 135 Madras Street. Tickets will be available at the door for $10. All proceeds will go to the Samoa tsunami relief effort.
(Tusiata Avia. Image from the Aotearoa New Zealand Poetry Sound Archive.)
 Critically acclaimed theatre troupe, The Naked Samoans are coming out of retirement for a special one-off performance of their ‘Go Home’ show to raise money for those affected by the recent tsunami in Samoa. David Fane (bro’Town, Outrageous Fortune, Diplomatic Immunity) Robbie Magasiva (Shortland Street, Sione’s Wedding, The Tattooist), Oscar Kightley (bro’Town, Sione’s Wedding, Arts laureate; NZOM), Mario Gaoa (bro’Town, Diplomatic Immunity, Sione’s Wedding), Shimpal Lelisi (bro’Town, Sione’s Wedding, Tagata Pasifika) and Jerome Leota, will perform their one-off show on Saturday, 7th November at the ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre, The Edge. All proceeds from the ticket sales will go directly to the Oxfam Tsunami Appeal. Tickets for the one-off show can be purchased from The Edge at www.buytickets.co.nz or the Box Office and are available for the special price of $20.* (*A service fee of $2 will apply if purchasing via the Box Office)
Pacific Island film-makers, writers, actors and multimedia artists are invited to submit entries for the 8th annual Pollywood Film Festival. Organisers want to hear from Pacific individuals who have made films or multimedia artwork that have a definite Pacific Island feel and are less than 30mins. Entry forms should be filled and sent to:
Pollywood 8 2010 Submission
MIC Toi Rerehiko
P O Box 168030
Newton
Auckland 1145
For more information, contact, Craig Fasi, Pollywood Curator at pollywood@orcon.net.nz. All entries must be submitted by 1 December 2009. The Festival premieres in March 2010.
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