VV First Fridays

Artwork for Sale, Events, Exhibitions, VV First Fridays

A mild wintery update from Vunilagi Vou!

To Live + Die in South Auckland was an exhibition that lived and died at Fresh Gallery Ōtara. It was an eye-opening and sadly, heartbreaking experience, but still a milestone.

Check out a full archive of exhibition photography by Sam Harnett here and photos from the opening by Sait Akkirman for Arts Diary here.

Making an exhibition for Fresh Gallery Ōtara felt important, like a full-circle moment taking me back to where my curatorial practice began, and inhabiting the space as an artist. My dear friend Nigel Borell filled in some of the curatorial gaps of producing this show, and is credited as ‘Curator Tautoko’, a term we devised to perhaps describe what it is when two artist-curators muddle around wearing different hats!

With Nigel Borell in front of *Southside Calling* (2024)

My favourite times during the exhibition involved talanoa and connection with people looking at and beyond the work on the walls. Those who travelled from far and wide to help open the exhibition blew me away; I was overwhelmed with love and support.

I also loved the opportunity to discuss my practice for the Arts Out East 2024 dialogue series, the Art of Conversation curated by Felixe Laing. Artists are invited to nominate a local eatery to hold an artist talk in, and whilst I have some firm favourite spots here in the South-Eastside, most of them have got small spaces with limited seating. So, I nominated Columbus Cafe at the Botany Mitre10 Mega, which has a massive window looking out at Puke-i-Āki-Rangi, a former Pā site on a magnificent hill covered in native bush in what is known as East Tāmaki Heights.

The public programme events at Fresh Gallery Ōtara during the exhibition were supported by Ōtara Papatoetoe Local Board. In my artist talk held in May, someone who has been familiar with my practice as a gallerist and curator for many years, commented that it was like I was ‘coming out as a Fijian’, which made me giggle. The comment reminded me how little of myself I bought to the act of working in service to other artists.

Cultivating my own voice as an artist has been a bold step towards being known, being seen. In the second public programme event, we set up a drop-in collage making space, building page works and revealing stories of ourselves. I loved it so much, especially reconnecting with local artist and activist, Monica Fa’a’lavaau.

The third public programme event was a Fresh Gallery Ōtara witness seminar, an event format I had learned about from visiting Swedish curator, Maria Lind. At Tensta Konsthall, a Stockholm gallery where she was Director, they held witness seminars to understand and archive more about the social histories of the building and environment the gallery inhabited.

I put together a panel of speakers for the Can I get a witness? event we held at Fresh Gallery Ōtara on 7 June, each chosen to help build a story of social impact, innovation and creativity generation from Fresh Gallery Ōtara’s first chapter from 2006-2012. From artists who made shows at the gallery during that time to perspectives from Manukau School of Visual Arts (later MIT Faculty of Creative Arts) from Grant Thompson, and Nicole Lim, the gallery’s longest serving gallery assistant and later gallery coordinator.

(L-R) Tanu Gago, Nigel Borell, Nicole Lim, Vasemaca Tavola, Grant Thompson, Leilani Kake and Czarina Wilson.

It was a gorgeous night of storytelling, reflection and deep acknowledgement of the time and space we had all shared in what felt like Fresh Gallery Ōtara’s golden age. It was also the last official ‘VV First Fridays’ event, which focused on talanoa and opportunities for Moana Pacific artists to connect. Vinaka vakalevu to Creative New Zealand for supporting that event series.

I’ve really enjoyed building an archive of writing and commentary on Patreon and growing a community of patrons committed to small monthly donations to support my practice. I’ve enjoyed sharing insights into my creative thinking and planning, inspirations and seeing the value system of my practice reveal itself in the process. Returning to my art practice has been the most wonderfully rewarding decision of my life.

On Patreon, I share a mix of content for paid members, content for free members, and content accessible by non-members. This is the lastest post accessible by anyone:

If supporting my work is something you’re interested in doing, this is a great way to make easy donations. There are two membership tiers at present:

Outside of my art practice, I’ve been working on a project with Dr Sereana Naepi and illustrator, Marc Conaco for a year now – this is us on 2 July 2023! Good things take time, patience and dedication. It is such an immense privilege to be working alongside the eye-wateringly talented Marc Conaco and the academic leadership of Dr Sereana Naepi! So much exciting news to share in the coming months!

I’m currently re-thinking the Vunilagi Vou showroom and returning a lot of work I’ve held over Vunilagi Vou’s tumultuous five years as an on-again-off-again gallery space. Like many in the retail / small business space, attracting sales and spending in the nice-to-have market is pretty rough-going in this economic climate.

With a room to play with, that’s separate from the studio, I’ve had the chance to hang and present my own work, playing with context and story.

I made a series of Fijian salusalu (garlands) for the witness seminar at Fresh Gallery Ōtara and really loved the process. Synthetic felt is such a fun, malleable material, and the colour combinations give me such an energy boost! I wrote about the process on Patreon here (paid content, apologies!) and I’m now making these on a commission basis.

Nigel Borell was at the Venice Biennale when we opened To Live + Die in South Auckland in May, so my sister Mereia read his small speech:

I’ve thought a lot about life and death over the last few months, making and presenting this show, but Nigel reminded me about the absolutely intoxicating energy of re-birth, an energy that has fuelled Vunilagi Vou since 2019!

In May, the fifth anniversary of Vunilagi Vou quietly rolled around. The show at Fresh Gallery Ōtara absorbed any energy for celebration. I had spent the previous day making a one-day-painting to exercise support for the national day of activation called by Te Pāti Māori to stand solidly in support of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and our obligations as Tangata Tiriti. And then on 31 May, exactly fives years since Vunilagi Vou first opened in Ōtāhuhu, I watched the sun rise behind Puke-i-Āki-Rangi here in East Tāmaki, where Vunilagi Vou has lived, died and been re-born.

Grateful for patrons, supporters… those who are still moved by art histories and storytelling, and those who have the means to keep supporting art and artists, in recession times.

vinaka vakalevu

Exhibitions, Talanoa, VV First Fridays

Muscle Memory, an art history of South Auckland

Muscle Memory – the last exhibition in Vunilagi Vou’s season of solos – opened last week with a beautiful gathering of friends, family and supporters of Genevieve Pini’s practice.

Muscle Memory features new work alongside archival pieces dating back to 2002. In an installation combining two eras of her practice, Pini presents her 2002 textile works made from cloth used to wipe the blood and ink from her father’s tatau with a 29 meter long red ribbon lei (garland) that she started making at the beginning of 2023. The installation configures the works on three mannequins – one male, one female and one clear form in between them. The opportunity to combine older and newer work reflects Pini’s ongoing enquiry into the experience and responsibilities of wearing her customary marks (tattoo) and the bonds across genealogy that never fade.

In a newer suite of works, Pini has brought a fascination in superhero capes to life. Interested in the idea of being from South Auckland as a super power, her three concept capes reference the exuberant displays of island origins and flag pride, school as a source of connection, belonging and community, and a darkness that is perhaps an inextricable part of South Auckland’s super power.

Starting in 2001, Manukau City Council (amalgamated into Auckland Council in 2010) produced a much loved design competition and runway show called Cult Couture. The homegrown annual event generated a community and culture amongst local artists where concepts like Pini’s capes were frequently presented, building a picture over the years of quintessential South Auckland / Manukau style and aesthetic. Pini herself entered numerous times, placed and won in 2007; she later styled some of her entries into an editorial for SOUTH magazine in 2012.

Check out Genevieve Pini and sister Jacinda Pini and the making of their entries into Culture Couture on FreshTV

Muscle Memory is Pini’s first solo exhibition, and considers a practice that has quietly spanned two decades, from an era that included four years at Manukau School of Visual Arts and the experience of being tattooed with her customary marks, to the Cult Couture era, and her more recent practice of figurative self portraiture. Throughout her work, Pini’s interest in print and meditative processes endures.

Learn more about the artist and her South Auckland super powers this Friday for an Artist Talanoa – doors open at 6pm, all welcome!

Muscle Memory is Vunilagi Vou’s last programmed exhibition. Vunilagi Vou – the gallery – has seen 19 exhibitions produced and presented since June 2019. It has been fun! And challenging! And it’s time for a rest.

From 2024, Vunilagi Vou – the gallery – will operate as a studio for creative projects and occasional gatherings. The stockroom and retail space will remain open as a unique repository of small and large works, limited edition prints and a bespoke retail range, and Vunilagi Vou’s consultancy work, writing and publishing will absorb new energy and focus.

Muscle Memory is open until Saturday 10 December, outside of opening hours, appointments can be made any time by getting in touch via email, or here.

vinaka vakalevu

Events, VV First Fridays

VV First Fridays: On courage

In a gentle start to the year, Vunilagi Vou’s first VV First Fridays event is on Friday 3 February and tackles the topic of courage.

The VV First Fridays event series was supported in 2022 by Creative New Zealand as a means to build community amongst Moana Pacific artists and the wider creative ecology here in South Auckland. The series of 10 events take place on the first Friday of the month from February to November, a low-key creative social club to get inspired, motivated and thoughtful at the start of each month.

In February, Vunilagi Vou invites anyone interested to come and listen to two inspiring Fijian creative thinkers talking story about their experiences of courage; when it’s needed, how to harness it and where it comes from.

Mereia Carling and Gina Cole have both had careers that have moved between creative pursuits and high-level professional roles in the fields of regional development and law. Courage is something they’ve both discussed, encouraged and inspired in those they’ve worked with and served, but like everyone, it has also been something they’ve had to understand and harness in their personal lives.

This conversation about courage is less a TED-talk and more a story sharing space; how does a Fijian lawyer become a Taekwondo practising sci-fi writer dreaming of worlds of Pasifikafuturism? How does a graduate of a fashion and textiles design training in Bristol, England end up working in child rights across the Pacific, and painting portraits of ancestors in Wellington?

Sometimes, being around a conversation about courage is enough to shape, inspire and mobilise courageous acts.

Vunilagi Vou is proud to welcome guests for the first time in 2023 to meet two inspiring and courageous women, break bread, kick back and enjoy a hazy summer evening at VVxET in East Tāmaki on Friday 3 February – doors open at 6pm, all welcome!

Vunilagi Vou is located at Suite 14, 15 Bishop Lenihan Place, East Tāmaki, South Auckland – more details here.
Public parking is available outside the main gate; entrance to the compound is via pedestrian gates.
Refreshments provided.
The venue is wheelchair accessible, please get in touch to make special arrangements.

Mereia Carling

Mereia Carling is a Fijian with i-Taukei and Pākeha ancestry. Born in Aotearoa New Zealand, she has only lived in this country for three years, moving just before the pandemic – a journey of courage that took her to the sheer edge of sanity. Not the first one however, moving countries and changing careers – finding and following her destined path – has been and continues to be a journey of self-discovery, finding faith and the ancestors, and depths of courage she did not know she had. While she works a paid job that advances human rights for children and youth across Aotearoa New Zealand’s international development cooperation, she is an artist at heart. Qualified as a designer of fashion and textiles, she previously worked as an artist and designer before venturing into the development world. She has been writing her ‘story’ for the last 14 years to document her journey of courage, and has recently found enough life/work balance to start painting again.

Gina Cole

Gina Cole (Fijian, Pakeha) MNZM, writer, lives in Tāmaki Makaurau. She won Best First Book Award at the 2017 Ockham NZ Book Awards for her collection Black Ice Matter. Her work has been widely anthologized and has appeared in numerous publications. She has appeared at many writing festivals, conferences and residencies including Auckland Writers Festival, Same Same but Different LGBTQIA+ Writers Festival, CoNZealand World Science Fiction Online Conference, Brisbane Writers Festival, Michael King Writers Centre Established Pasifika Writer’s Residency, Iowa International Writers Residency, Sitka Island Institute Alaska Residency and Varuna Writers House Residency, Katoomba, Blue Mountains, Australia. She is a qualified barrister & solicitor and practised law for many years. She holds a Masters of Creative writing and PhD in Creative Writing and is an Honorary Fellow in Writing at the University of Iowa. Gina has written two short film scripts for PISA Screen Fit. She also works as a background extra and has appeared in multiple film and television productions including The Rings of Power, One of Us is Lying, Sweet Tooth, The Wilds, Whina, Our Flag Means Death, Shortland Street, Brokenwood Mysteries and many others. Her science fiction fantasy novel Na Viro (Huia) is a work of Pasifikafuturism.