Creative New Zealand Celebrates Pasifika’s Best Emerging Artists

Leilani Kake (Cook Islands and Nga Puhi) a moving image artist, and Linda Tuafale Tanoa’i (Samoa) a multi-media digital artist, were each awarded emerging Pacific artist awards at the annual Creative New Zealand Pasifika Awards on Monday 17th November 2008. Leilani was awarded the Salamander Gallery Award for Emerging Pacific Visual Artist ($3000) for her cutting edge digital art. Her work has received considerable praise for its creative exploration of traditional cultural histories through the lens of modern technologies. Linda T (as she is better known) was awarded Creative New Zealand’s Emerging Pacific Artists’ Award ($3000). She has recently won the AUT University’s Sculpture Award for Visual Arts. She is also one of the artists chosen to represent New Zealand in Pago Pago at the recent 10th Festival of Pacific Arts. She presented a multi-media installation that included moving images and stories from Aotearoa.