Exit (2026)

Dumudumukuro (jellyfish) interest me as creatures without hearts or brains but instead have a decentralised nervous system capable of complex behaviors, coordinated swimming and even associative learning. Jellyfish are described in Encyclopaedia Britannica as otherworldly, like glowing apparitions. To me, they are a reminder of nervous system regulation, and when regulated, anything is possible.

This work was made for Vakamuduo [gratitude overflowing], a small solo exhibition produced for Kū Kāhiko Gallery to mark the juncture between an ending and a new beginning. Vakamuduo is a Fijian word for gratitude describing a scale that extends to the clouds. This scale of gratitude is one I attribute to Tāmaki Makaurau, and specifically Manukau / South Auckland, as I prepare to close a 25 year chapter and migrate south, drawn by whānau, salt water and a gentler pace.

This work is part of an ongoing series of perfectly imperfect, hand-cut, machine-sewn textile assemblages, proudly made in South Auckland with revolution in mind.