Le Folauga: The Past Coming Forward is the first exhibition of contemporary Pacific art from New Zealand to be shown in a major fine arts museum in Asia. Supported by the Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust and curated by Fuli Pereira (Curator-Pacific at Auckland Museum) and Ron Brownson (Senior Curator Auckland Art Gallery), Le Folauga opened at the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts in Taiwan on 13 December 2008 and will run through until 5 April 2009. The name “Le Folauga” was suggested by Johnny Penisula, the veteran Samoan stone-carver from Invercargill, to encapsulate the idea of bringing the learned histories of the past into the future. The exhibition has been expanded from the original exhibition held in Auckland in 2007 and features the work of 16 artists including Edith Amituanai, Leanne Clayton, Fatu Feu’u, Steven Gwaliasi, Niki Hastings McFall, Lonnie Hutchinson, Leilani Kake, Shigeyuki Kihara, Andy Leleisi’uao, Janet Lilo, Itiri Ngaro, Ani O’Neill, Johnny Penisula, Filipe Tohi, Michel Tuffery, and Jim Vivieaere. Working in a range of media they demonstrate the breadth of talent there is among visual artists of Pacific heritage working in Aotearoa/New Zealand. This major exhibition marks another important milestone in the history of contemporary Pacific art and artists.
"Mixed Faletele" By Johnny Penisula
