Opening Night – Kamoan Mine: Andy Leleisi’uao

Opening Night – Kamoan Mine: Andy Leleisi’uao. Thursday 2 May, 6-8pm

Please join us for the opening

KAMOAN MINE
Andy Leleisi’uao – Survey Exhibition
Curated by Ben Bergman

Thursday 2 May, 6-8pm

The Wallace Arts Trust is proud to present KAMOAN MINE, a comprehensive survey exhibition of Samoan | New Zealand artist Andy Leleisi’uao, curated by Ben Bergman. Leleisi’uao is one of the most significant Pasifika artists living and working in New Zealand today.

A full-time artist since 1996, Leleisi’uao has exhibited widely and been the recipient of numerous awards and residencies. Most recently, he won the Wallace Arts Trust Paramount Award in 2017 in Wallace Art Awards. He began his artistic career as a social commentator on Samoans living in New Zealand; his works exploring urban issues associated with Pacific diaspora, often in a confronting and controversial manner, exploring themes such as domestic violence, poverty, racism and unemployment.

Leleisi’uao is influenced by an enormous range of sources, drawing from ancient and modern history, literary and music history, art history, pop culture history, world headlines, personal experiences. He tells the story of what we can be as a species, regardless of our cultural stature, religious convictions, skin colour or sexual orientation. Fantastical new world societies are created within his canvases, populated by creatures both familiar and strange. He asks that we now see our immediate and global community from a different perspective, learning from past mistakes to create a reality free of all prejudice.

A career first for the artist, this fascinating survey show offers the general public an unprecedented opportunity to experience the diverse nature of his practice including paintings, sculpture, drawings and installation.

KAMOAN MINE is proudly supported by The Pah Homestead TSB Wallace Arts Centre, Sir James Wallace, Ron Brownson, Creative New Zealand, Ultimo Group | The Print Cave, Bergman Gallery, John Leech Framing Workshop and Max White.

View exhibition on our website

ends

© Scoop Media