SOUTH is a publication I have co-edited with my colleague, Nigel Borell; we work as the Māori and Pacific arts coordinators for Arts and Culture South, Auckland Council. This is a project we have been working on for two years and have finally… FINALLY… made it to this point.

As curators and arts administrators, Nigel and I have produced numerous small, medium and large scale publications for Māori and Pacific arts exhibitions and events in South Auckland. We always engage primarily with Māori and Pacific writers, artists and commentators, and wanted to create a publication that highlighted the wealth of arts activity, commentary and writing that is emanating from South Auckland.

Issue 1 of SOUTH is a beautifully designed 44-page journal-book-magazine. We endeavor to publish SOUTH twice a year, holding launch parties at Fresh Gallery Otara.

This first issue is being launched at Fresh Gallery Otara on Thursday 26 January (6-9pm) alongside the opening of I don’t wanna talk about it – a solo exhibition by Otahuhu-based painter, Molly Rangiwai-McHale, who is also a contributor to this issue.

If you’d like a copy of SOUTH, email Nicole Lim at Fresh Gallery Otara – SOUTH is free!

Issue 1 features:

• Exhibition overview of 18-year-old Waylan Tupaea-Petero’s first solo show, Kāinga Tūturu – Calling Home
• Photo essay about tattooist Capilli Apelu Tupou
• Page works by Daniel Tautua, Cerisse Palalagi and Molly Rangiwai-McHale
• An in-depth artist Profile of Rebecca Ann Hobbs
• Responses to Ngaru Roa, the 2011 National Rangatahi Art Conference, Auckland Art Fair,  Māori Market and the newly refurbished Auckland Art Gallery.
• A tribute to the Cook Islands curator, Jim Vivieaere
• An excellent interview between Parris Goebel of Request Dance Crew and Coco Solid
• Photography by Raymond Sagapolutele (including our cover shot of Tattooist Capilli Apelu Tupou’s hands) and Vinesh Kumaran

#PolySwag
#BooomBahhhng
#TeamSOUTHSIDE

#JustSaying

I love this painting by Rarotonga-based Samoan painter, Nanette Lela’ulu.

Fresh Gallery Otara is going through some changes this year! More information to come. In the meantime, the January – August exhibition programme is locked in and lookin’ mighty fine!

This year kicks off with I don’t wanna talk about it – a solo exhibition by Otahuhu-based painter, Molly Rangiwai-McHale. I’ve liked Molly’s work since we were at art school together. Her paintings are big and sassy, strong and so, so bold. On the same night we open Molly’s show, we launch SOUTH – a new Māori and Pacific arts publication celebrating South Auckland. SOUTH is an epic project I’ve undertaken with my colleague Nigel Borell. We’re SO excited to launch Issue 1 – more on that to come too!

I don’t wanna talk about it runs from 27 January – 25 February. Molly’s artist talk is from 12pm on Saturday 11 February.

Avanoa o Tama is Tanu Gago‘s second solo exhibition. The exhibition is a follow-up from his highly successful 2010/11 series, Jerry the Fa’afafine first shown at City Gallery Wellington and now on permanent display at Mangere Arts Centre – Nga Tohu o Uenuku in South Auckland.

“Avanoa o Tama is a photographic series that looks at the cultural assignment of gender identity in regard to social and cultural expectation amongst men of Pacific diaspora. Concerned with representation and codes of gender this work explores a spectrum of masculine identity among literal and conceptual cultural spaces. The conceptual spaces refer to the grey areas where gender and sexuality tread an ambiguous line between the typical and the unexpected.

These spaces are often occupied by Fa’afafine and gay Pacific males. In this instance this space is shared with other heterosexual Polynesian and Melanesian males. As an artist I am interested to see what is exposed about our public perceptions of gender and sexuality when these codes of gender deviate from cultural and social norms and how this reflects on our own cultural sensibilities and notions of tolerance and understanding.”

I can’t wait to see Tanu’s new body of work. This is one of his working images that I love:

Avanoa o Tama runs from 2-31 March, Tanu’s artist talk takes place from 12pm on Saturday 17 March, which btw is a FANTASTIC day to come to South Auckland – it’s the Otara Market AND the final day of the ASB Polyfest – the premier New Zealand Pacific arts event on my calendar!

In April we open Generation – a joint show between Northland sculptor Will Ngakuruand his Auckland-based son, Ammon Ngakuru.

“Ammon’s paintings seek to explore the relationship between everyday personal situations and situations portrayed as regular through popular television and media. ‘Generation’ could relate to this in the sense that television and media generate ideas and normality which effect us on a personal level.

Will creates works that both challenge and inform using wood, stone, metal and clay, he has created a body of work titled ‘Intergenerational healing’ past, present and future expressed through sculpture.”

Generation runs from 6 April – 5 May.

I’m so excited about WWJD – a group show I’m curating for Fresh Gallery Otara’s 6th anniversary in May. WWJD honours the work of the late Cook Islands curator, Jim Vivieaere (1947-2011); the title is based on a tribute I wrote to Jim not long after his death. This group show is an opportunity to reflect on Fresh Gallery Otara’s pioneering role in showcasing new Pacific art that challenges, engages and reflects on the unique socio-political context of Otara, South Auckland and Oceania. More on WWJD to come!

WWJD runs from 11 May – 23 June with the curatorial floor talk at 12pm on Saturday 26 May. It is a central event within the 2012 South Auckland Pacific Arts Summit (3-31 May) and more associated events will be announced soon!

The work shown here is Otara at night (2011), a single-channel video work by Rebecca Ann Hobbs filmed in the Otara Town Centre featuring dancer Amelia Lynch. I can’t wait to present this work in Otara for the first time!

A signature event of Matariki Festival 2012 is the Te Taumata Exhibition Series which this year is guest curated by Ngahiraka Mason. The initiative celebrates excellence in Maori visual arts, with a series of exhibitions by a selection of Aotearoa’s most exciting new and established artists in galleries across Auckland.  The talented photographer Aimee Ratana has been invited to present an installation of new work in her first exhibition at Fresh Gallery Otara. And it’s really… really hot!!

Te Taumata at Fresh runs from 6 July – 4 August with an artist floor talk on Saturday 7 July at 12pm.

After August, there’s some exciting changes underfoot for Fresh, so watch this space for more info!

Drop Nicole Lim an email to be added to the Fresh Gallery Otara mailing list, or follow Fresh on Twitter: @Fresh274

FMC VXN performed at Fresh Gallery Otara’s WHITE NIGHT event, part of the 2011 Auckland Arts Festival and again at the NiuFM Grassroots Mixer concert, part of the 2011 South Auckland Pacific Arts Summit (below).

FMC VXN has been part of the Fresh Gallery Otara community since the gallery was established in 2006, mostly via her sister, Leilani Kake. Leilani directed the music video for SOS (Sound of the Streets) with Tanu Gago; it was an awesome project to be part of various capacities.

Go FMC VXN Go!!

I DON’T WANNA TALK ABOUT IT

A solo exhibition by Molly Rangiwai-McHale

Fresh Gallery Otara

27 January – 25 February 2012

OPENING:  6pm – 8pm, Thursday 26 January

ARTIST TALK: 12pm – 2pm, Saturday 11 February

 “I don’t wanna talk about it is a series of portraits of people who have been/are a part of my life, some for a moment, others years. They mark interactions that have changed the person I am and represent people that I’ve leant from and the wisdom we’ve shared. Being witness to them, sharing experiences outside of the spoken word, sharing time however long or short… just being included in their lives has taught me invaluable truths. They have not necessarily always been lessons I’ve wanted to learn, but which I have benefited from all the same and have become stronger because of it. They are paintings of people I love/d (and people I just think are effing cool).”

This was my speech:

Ni sa bula vinaka,

I feel most privileged to have the opportunity to address you on this prestigious occasion. I don’t remember the keynote speaker at my own graduation because I was so overwhelmed on the day; my family had travelled from Fiji and I was surrounded by the same excited and anxious energy emanating from all the graduating students around me. I have since then supported many of my friends at their graduations, listened intently to the speakers and shared that moment of complete satisfaction. No matter your struggles and challenges in your years of study, getting through, getting here, to this point, is all that matters.

Tonight we celebrate your achievement. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate you all on the small things that have got you to this day. Small as they seem, it’s the baby steps which count. Congratulations for waking up on time. For attending class. Congratulations for thinking, responding and investing in your mind, and congratulations for taking the bold step of making art, wanting to be an artist, and energising your innate creative ability.

There are things we learn on our tertiary journeys that only become truly valuable when we enter the world and the workforce after art school. You have learnt how to meet deadlines, to develop, implement and review projects. You have learnt skills in research and analysis, and you have developed and honed your voice. To be taught and to learn are skills that will enrich your life. Art school is a wonderful mix of personalities and perhaps unconsciously, you have developed in small ways your communication skills, open mindedness and tolerance.

It’s important to know that qualifications alone will not open doors to dream jobs. A qualification can demonstrate commitment and a specific skill set, but doors open for people with plans. I encourage you all to think about where this qualification sits in your big picture. What would you be doing in this life if money wasn’t an issue – what makes you happy?

If a qualification in creative arts is a step in the right direction, what else needs to be done to get you to where you want to be. Think big, write it down, create goals and put your head down and work. Before you know it, your plan will be manifesting before your eyes. There will be highs and lows on your journey, but for every failure there is momentary pain and long-term learning. Believe me, this is true.

When you have a plan, getting through the day, facing challenges and braving the unknown become manageable. Everything you do becomes part of a focused trajectory. You will work harder, invest yourself fully and emanate an air of drive and determination and THIS is what opens doors.

The reality is that jobs in the creative sector are few and far between. This is why it is crucial to acknowledge that your tertiary training isn’t ‘teaching you how to be an artist’, but teaching you how to hone your creativity, empower your voice and practice universal skills applicable to the workforce. Your challenge after art school is to turn your skills and creativity into currency.

Innovation and innovative thinking is in hot demand in many industries. Creative minds are curious and have the potential to think about problem solving in new and valuable ways. The key to making a creative arts qualification work for you is to find ways that your creative thinking can be applied to money-making or career-building opportunities. We only hone our abilities by experience, and opportunities to do this come in all forms.

Within the context of your big picture plan, I encourage you to maximise on every opportunity that crosses your path. By building our experience – personal, professional and artistic – we learn what we’re good at and what we’re not!

Jobs may be scarce – we often have to simply do what we can. If a 9 to 5 job isn’t feeding your creative soul, invest your personal time in projects that develop your creative practice. Exhibit as much as possible, keep drawing, writing, blogging and performing. Attend openings and events and hone your networking skills. If you don’t have a blog, start one immediately! Document your practice, your experiences, your influences, engage people with your creative journey. Remember, opportunities to develop your creative practice aren’t always formal, or in the case of visual arts, in galleries – church banners count! Illustrations in zines count! Online exhibitions count! Document it all and grow a community of appreciators around you.

From one graduate to another, let me assure you that when the IRD start taking your student loan payments out of your pay, it stings. When you’re working 9 to 5 and having a significant part of your wages automatically deducted to pay for that qualification, you think a lot about art school. Take it from me, after 6 years of paying off my student loan, art school is not a time to mess around. I feel old saying “We didn’t have Facebook in my day”, but it’s the truth and I acknowledge the new modes of procrastination can be seriously addictive.

Don’t waste this time. You can fall in love, be heartbroken, party hard, experience loss and pain, but don’t waste time. You’re at school to learn, not to socialise. You’re at school to increase your opportunities in life, to give hope to your family. And art school is a privilege.

We live in a country where artists can apply for public funds to make art; exhibitions and arts events happen almost every day of the year, much of which is free. We’re a small country with a big reputation on the world stage and opportunities to travel, engage, participate, show and develop your creative practice are abundant. But the competition is fierce.

Getting an arts education in South Auckland is a double-edged sword; on one hand, we are geographically and socially dislocated from the wider creative sector. On the other hand, we have a competitive advantage – what we make and develop in relative isolation is bold and innovative, informed often unconsciously by our unique socio-political and cultural context.

Armed with your qualification and a foundation in thinking creatively, I challenge you to treat tomorrow as Day 1 of the next chapter of your creative career. Write down your goals, dream big and reflect on what makes you happy. Be open to advice and opportunities. Be confident. Be nice – the art world is small, reputations often precede you. And perhaps most importantly, be hungry – hungry to get to where you want to be, hungry to be heard, hungry to keep developing and learning. Know that wherever you go, in whatever field, your creativity is within you, and has enormous potential. Remember South Auckland, remember Z Block – and don’t be a stranger.

Good luck and go well,

Vinaka vakalevu.

Nimamea’a: The Fine Arts of Tongan Embroidery and Crochet is derived from an exhibition first shown at Fresh Gallery Otara in April / May 2010. Very proud to see it reframed within the context of Objectspace, a very exciting gallery in central Auckland dedicated to craft, applied arts and design.

Well done curators Kolokesa Uafā Māhina-Tuai and Manuēsina ‘Ofa-ki-Hautolo Māhina and HUGE RESPECT to the fine artists involved, Lingisiva ‘Aloua, Kolokesa Kulīkefu, Lupe Mahe, Tu’utanga Hunuhunu Māhina, Falesiu Siu Noma, ‘Ofa-ki-Nu’usila Talakia’atu and Manuēsina Tonata.

Check out Facebook.com/SouthsideSocial for more information on panelists, tickets and event partners…

This is one very sexy T-shirt! It features a logo / coat of arms developed by graphic artist, Nicole Lim, based on a painting by Luisa Tora. It was created for the exhibition diasporadic679 – an exhibition that takes the form of posters installed in shop windows in Otahuhu, South Auckland. Check the blog for more information: http://diasporadic679.wordpress.com

The diasporadic679 T-shirt is beautifully printed by South Auckland’s excellent PopoHardWear – the logo is gold, large-scale and fabulous. The T-shirts support the exhibition project costs and are only NZD40.

Please contact Nicole Lim at Fresh Gallery Otara for sales enquiries or drop in between 10am – 5pm, Tuesday – Friday; 8am – 2pm, Saturdays.

It’s a trip.

With almost 3000 characters, the work includes imagery of women and men, fish and other sea creatures, birds, riots, satellites, planes, worms… nuns, old Hollywood movie stars… and much, much more! No two moments are the same; the work is a six week epic!

In the room, the projections are on opposite walls. There’s a bench seat in the middle to sit and be surrounded by the work. It has been hugely popular with Fresh Gallery Otara’s significant youth audience.

It’s a quiet, calming experience to sit with this work.

MUD is proudly part of the 2011 Southside Arts Festival (14 October – 6 November) and runs until Saturday 26 November.

Follow Fresh Gallery Otara on Twitter: @Fresh274