Occupation: Artist, Sculptor
Hometown: New Plymouth, New Zealand and Ngele’ia, Tonga
Living now: Auckland, New Zealand
Started in art: As a young man in Tonga
Favourite group: Jimmy Cliff and Johnny Nash are my favourites
Favourite artist: A French artist named Francois Morellet – an important mimimalist sculptor
Favourite song: I love traditional Tongan songs
Favourite book: I enjoy looking at old traditional art books
Favourite Pacific food: Taro and yams
Favourite tradition: Sundays – having that as day of rest
Brief history
Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi was born in Ngele’ia Nuku’alofa, Tonga, and emigrated to New Zealand in 1978.
He’s been working in the arts since he arrived in Aotearoa but has been a full-time artist and sculptor since 1992. Tohi is a master (Tufunga Lalava) in the traditional art of lalava – the decorative lashing that was used on houses, canoes and tools in Tonga before western materials became available.
Sopolemalama Filipe has made lalava his own, putting a contemporary spin on it in a quest to understand the patterns and the language hidden inside the layers of string.
He believes lalava patterns represent a life philosophy. Lalava patterns advocate balance in daily living and are metaphorical and physical ties to cultural knowledge.
His work transforms technology of the past into a modern representation of identity and experience. By using the patterns established by lalava, he expresses a Pacific heritage with metaphors that speak to the entire community.
Sopolemalama Filipe is renowned for his stone carvings along New Plymouth’s foreshore as well as his metal sculptures at Te Papa Tongarewa, Auckland City and Taranaki. Read more about Sopolemalama Filipe and his artwork on his website.
Sopolemalama Filipe talks with Pacific Starmap…
What’s the hardest part of a career in art?
Sometimes you don’t sell your work, but the most important thing for me is the creativity of enjoying what I am doing.
Sometimes you need some extra money to keep doing what you are doing. But it doesn’t stop me from going on – there is always a way around it.
What’s the best perk of being an artist?
To enjoy talking to people and learning from other people.
As an artist you get to learn from each other, but share in different ways – you appreciate the people and that makes me proud when they see the difference and they enjoy my work. It makes you feel good about it, when they make something you enjoy and when you make something they enjoy.
What’s the best advice someone has given you?
To keep on striving, to keep going no matter what.
I don’t make something and then just walk away. There is always room for improvement. Keep on doing it. Don’t give up.
What advice would you give a young Pacific artist?
Be proud in who you are and don’t give up.
It’s like playing rugby – it takes a lot of training and experience to be successful. Be with the art – the more you train the better you are and the fitter you are.
Art is like that. You have to be with the art, there is always an opportunity to learn more. Go to the galleries and museums, keep looking.
When you are alone it can be hard, so being around other people can help you to keep going.
Sopolemalama Filipe will answer more questions on Pacific Starmap in coming months, so join our email list to be the first to know when he is our featured Champion.
PACIFIC STARMAP CHAMPIONS:
Albert Wendt | Brooke Fraser | Nathaniel Lees | Neil Ieremia
Sia Figiel | Sima Urale | Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi
