Archive for November, 2009
« Older EntriesBenefit Concert Raises $344.00 for Tsunami Relief
With the help of some of New Zealand’s top musicians, the ‘I Love the Islands’ series of concerts has raised the phenomenal sum $344,180.00 for tsunami relief in Samoa. The historical tour featured concerts in Auckland, New Plymouth, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. A collective of the artists travelled to Samoa on October 31st to announce the allocation of funds raised. $50,000 has been allocated to Lalomanu village and $50,000 to Poutasi village, both of which sustained some of the heaviest damage from the tsunami. The remainder of the money will be paid to the Samoa Tsunami 2009 Appeal Charitable Trust once hard costs and tax have been finalised. I Love the Islands spokesperson, Ole Maiava said “It’s thanks to all those talented people from the music, production and entertainment industry that gave us their valuable time free of charge that we are able to produce such an amazing result for the people of Samoa”. Artists who kindly donated their performances to the various gigs included Scribe, Savage, Tim and Neil Finn, Oscar Kightley, Dave Dobbyn, Bic Runga, Anika Moa, Yandall Sisters, Hollie Smith, Elemeno P, Nesian Mystik, Jordan Luck Band, J.Williams, Che-Fu & Kratez, Open Souls, Kirsten Morrell, Sweet and Irie, DJ Sirvere, Aaradhna, PNC, Devolo, Mareko, King Kapisi, Feelstyle, Adeaze, Cydel, Lapi Mariner, Ladi 6 and Parks, LA Mitchell, Mark Vanilau, Pacific Underground, Three Houses Down, Herbs, Iva Lamkum, Rosita Vai, Bella Kalolo, Ruia Aperahama, Te Oranga Tonu Tanga, Reitu Cassidy, Sarah Wallace, Maria Wilson, Dugald Mackay, Pesamino Tili, Foalima Lemalu, Soul Deep, Boogiemen, Entropy Trio, MC Beau and Max Dad E, Koile, Shayne Carter, Lapi Mariner, Alphrisk, and many more.
Otara Community Art Vision Becomes Reality
The Dawson Road community of Otara owns a new mural. Led by the Manukau City Council through the Fresh Gallery Otara, the Dawson Road Mural Project is an initiative intended to encourage community ownership of public art. It began in the form of a video produced by Janet Lilo with interviews of park and library users. Several themes emerged from the video including youth culture, bold vibrant colours, Pacific and Maori patterns, strong local features and an homage to Michael Jackson. These informed the design of the mural which was developed in-house at Fresh Gallery Otara by Nicole Lim and Ema Tavola. Three local artists, Samiu Napa’a, Sangeeta Singh, and Luisa Tora worked for two days alongside a dozen volunteers to complete the three-walled mural. Wall 1 acknowledges the location of Dawson Park in the flight path of Auckland International Airport and the classic limited edition ‘Otara’ Chuck Taylor Converse All Stars made in 2005. Wall 2 acknowledges the 2009 passing of Michael Jackson, the undisputed King of Pop, a model of creative and musical excellence with intergenerational, global and multicultural appeal, embedded in an arrangement of Pacific island flora. Wall 3 acknowledges Dawson Road and its youthful local community. The figures are derived from South Style, a photographic project that documents the style and conviction of South Auckland young people. The Dawson Road Mural Project is a collaboration between Manukau Arts, Libraries, Parks, the Manukau Beautification Trust, and the Otara community.
(Image from the Dawson Road Mural Project blog)
‘Fresh09’ Caps Off Another Exciting Year for Fresh Gallery Otara
To cap off another exciting year for Pacific Arts in South Auckland, Fresh Gallery Otara presents “Fresh 09” a survey of art exhibited at the gallery during this year. The exhibition will feature painting from Margaret Aull and Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi; photography from Vinesh Kumaran and Raymond Sagapolutele; textiles from Genevieve Pini; aerosol art from Dean and Shaun Purcell; and sculpture from Siliga David Setoga and Visesio Siasau. The exhibition includes small axe 09, a collaborative video work developed for the ARTSPACE New Artists Show including artist submissions by Tanu Gago, Leilani Kake, Visesio Siasau, Serene Tay and Angela Tiatia, produced by Janet Lilo in partnership with Ema Tavola. The exhibition also includes the excellent commissioned Dawson Road Mural Project video that informed the work of three local artists (Samiu Napa’a, Sangeeta Singh and Luisa Tora) with 11 volunteers (Kofe Aupeipeigamalie, Muavaefaatasi Brown, Simon Samuelu, Luma Aneti, Murphy Enekosi, Paul Lavea, Aaron Henry-Taripo, Ezra Ape, Joe Futi, Matagia Esera and Wylie Fong) over one night and two days for the Manukau Festival of Arts 09. “Fresh 09” opens on Thursday 26 November and runs until 19 December 2009.
Art Tours: Creative New Zealand Requests for Expressions of Interest
In its efforts to support the development of more skilled arts practitioners, Creative New Zealand is looking to contract a suitably qualified training provider to plan and provide a short course for up to 22 arts practitioners. The course is to provide New Zealand arts practitioners with opportunities to gain knowledge and develop the skills required to successfully organise the touring of performing art works and writers within New Zealand. Creative New Zealand is also interested in hearing from suitably qualified and experienced New Zealand arts practitioners who can contribute to such a course as a tutor or mentor. After completing the course trainees will be expected to develop the skills and knowledge required for successful touring within New Zealand and take account of the cultural needs and perspectives of practitioners with a focus on touring works by Maori and New Zealand Pacific artists. Interested parties are invited to submit a written expression of interest to Creative New Zealand by no later than 5 pm on Friday 18 December 2009. For more details, contact John McDavitt by email at john.mcdavitt@creativenz.govt.nz or by phone on (04) 498 0736.
Aspiring Opera Singer Wins Iosefa Enari Award
Samoan singer Elisha Na’otala Fa’i has added Creative New Zealand’s Iosefa Enari Award (recognising the pioneering role Isoefa Enari held in Pacific opera) to her long list of accomplishments. Last year, the Palmerston-North born singer performed for then US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice’s visit to New Zealand. She has also performed in the New Zealand Secondary Schools Choir, the New Zealand Youth Choir, and more recently the Chapman Tripp Chorus as part of the New Zealand Opera’s recent productions of La Boheme, Jenufa, Madam Butterfly and Eugene Onegin. Elisha says she is always keen to celebrate her Pacific heritage with Samoan song and dance, and has performed at the opening ceremony of the 2007 South Pacific Games in Samoa and in Malaga in Fiji in 2006. She is currently completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Music at the University of Auckland’s School of Music. Past winners of the Iosefa Enari Memorial Award include Ben Makisi (2002), Daphne Collins (2003), Bonadventure Allan - Moetaua (2004), Ramonda Taleni (2005), Aivale Cole (2006), Sani Muamaseali’i (2007), and James Ioelu (2008).
(Image of Elisha Na’otala Fa’i from the University of Auckland School of Music’s website)
Emerging Composer Finds Inspiration from Samoan History and Tradition
Samoan composer Poulima Salima has been awarded the 2009 Emerging Pacific Artist Award by Creative New Zealand in recognition of his diverse range of music, composition, and performance for stage and screen. He has composed music to accompany theatre, animation, choreographed dance and film. Poulima is inspired by Samoan history, culture and oratory and is determined to implement these expressions through music composition to the world stage. Previous winners of the Emerging Pacific Artist include Peter Panoa (2002), Shigeyuki Kihara (2003), Lonnie Hutchinson (2004), Miria George (2005), Tusiata Avia (2006), WakaUra Dance Group (2007), and Linda Tuafale Tanoa’i (2008).
Aute ma Fagaloa Theatre Production - Tufuga’s Theme: lyrics, choral & orchestral music score by Poulima Salima
Shigeyuki Kihara Wins Coveted Contemporary Pacific Artist Award
The 2009 recipient of Creative New Zealand’s the Contemporary Pacific Artists Award is Shigeyuki Kihara. Shigeyuki is a visual and performance artist whose work explores themes of representation, authenticity, consumerism, collective memory, gender roles and spirituality. Shigeyuki was awarded the 2003 Emerging Pacific Artist Award and has held solo exhibitions worldwide at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Shanghai Zendai Museum of Modern Art, China; Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan; Centro Ricerca Arte Attuale, Italy and National Museum of Poznan, Poland. She will exhibit at the 2010 Sydney Festival and Auckland Triennale. Past winners of the Contemporary Pacific Art Award are: Richard Shortland-Cooper (2002) Filipe Tohi (2003), Lemi Ponifasio (MAU Dance) (2004), John Ioane (2005), Sima Urale (2006), Nina Nawalowalo (2007), and Diana Fuemana (2008).
(Image from Pasifika Styles website)
Weaving Group Unites Niuean families and Wins Pacific Heritage Prize
The Otahuhu-based Falepipi he Mafola Group has been awarded the Pacific Heritage Art Award by Creative New Zealand in recognition of its active community engagement with promotion of Niuean heritage arts. The group was formed 16 years ago to develop, maintain and promote the Niuean handcraft skills in weaving, plaiting, netting, carving and most importantly language. The group’s vision is to use art to rebuild, restore, and reunited Niuean families living in New Zealand. Past winners of the Pacific Heritage Art Award are: Kepueli Vaomotou (2004), Mafi Malaga III (2005), Tau Fuata Niue (2006), Dr. Okusi Mahina (2007), and the Enuamanu Maruarua Atiu Society (2008).
Image of “Lili” (wall hanging) by Tiresa Fasi, member of Falepipi he Mafola. 1990s. © Copyright Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
Master Craftsman Receives Prestigious Pacific Arts Award
Tongan master craftsman, Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi is the winner of the 2009 Creative New Zealand Senior Pacific Artist Award ($10,000). The Pacific Starmap champion was acknowledged for his outstanding contribution to the heritage of the traditional art of lalava and ‘mana’ within the community. His work is based on the ancient Pacific Island art form used for joining and binding materials such as houses, canoes and tools. Filipe Tohi joins other prominent artists as winner of the Senior Pacific Artist Award. They are: Johnny Penisula (2002), Albert Wendt (2003), Nathaniel Lees (2004), Opetia Foa’ai (Te Vaka) (2005), Jim Vivieaere (2006), Justine Simei-Barton (2007), and Igelese Ete (2008).
(Image from Pasifika Foundation Hawai’i website)
Creative New Zealand Honours Pacific Artists
Creative New Zealand presented Pasifika Arts awards to four Pacific artists and agroup of Niuean women whose work has made an outstanding contribution to Pacific arts in New Zealand. The 2009 awards were presented to composer Poulima Salima (Emerging Pacific Artist Award - $3000), to performer Elisha Na’otala Fa’i (the Iosefa Enari Award - $3000), to the weaving group Falepipi he Mafola (the Pacific Heritage Art Award - $5000), to artist Shigeyuki Kihara (the Contemporary Pacific Artist’s Award - $5000) and to master craftsman Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi (the Senior Pacific Artist Award - $10,000). Creative New Zealand’s Pacific Arts Committee Chairperson Pele Walker said the annual Arts Pasifika Awards celebrated the rich range of Pacific art in New Zealand. “Every year we are thrilled and delighted with not only the calibre of artists nominated but the range of artistic fields that they work in. The Pacific experience in New Zealand is unique and these awards enable Creative New Zealand to acknowledge and celebrate the contribution these artists make to the flourishing New Zealand arts landscape.”
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