TAHI FM presenter So'omalo Iteni Schwalger had never been to an art exhibition curated by Pasifika people...
He left Queen Fiapoto: switch, code, reverse deeply impressed.
Photo: Malae/Co.
TAHI FM presenter So'omalo Iteni Schwalger Photo: The TAHI / RNZ
Queen Fiapoto: switch, code, reverse is on at Auckland's Tautai Gallery until 6 May.
When I was a teenager staying in the American Samoan village of Vaitogi, our house was by the sea and surrounded by bush.
We lived on a corner where you couldn't see what was coming from either side until it was right on top of you.
In the mornings when I sat on the side of the road, the ground would shake at the strength of a heavy subwoofer, and the air filled with the tinny sound of a Lil Wayne Reggae Remix. This was my sign that bus was arriving.
You see, in Samoa, there are no major bus companies. Instead, buses are often bought and funded by individual villages so that the people living there have a mode of transport.
The fact that the buses are privately owned allows freedom for creativity in how they're painted. In Aotearoa, an advertisement may cover the rear of the bus, but in Samoa, you'll see murals depicting anything from a beautiful sunset, a flying Pegasus and even The Incredible Hulk.
This uniquely Samoan creative identity was the inspiration for the art exhibition series Queen Fiapoto. (The title is a play on 'Queen Poto' - the name of a popular bus on the Samoan island of Upolu).
The buses of Samoa always hold a weird place in my heart and thoughts when remembering home, so viewing this exhibition, and seeing that other young Samoans feel the same way, gave me a sense of belonging.
Artwork from the exhibition Queen Fiapoto: switch, code, reverse by the Samoan artists collective Malae/Co. Photo:
Queen Fiapoto: switch, code, reverse is the work of the incredibly talented Samoan art collective Malae/Co., whose members draw from their diverse life experiences and take a wide variety of approaches to artistic expression.
None of the artists in Malae/Co. took the traditional art degree route.
Forging their own path in the art world gives the members a sense of empowerment and they are self-funded in every sense of the word.
switch, code, reverse - their current show in the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau's CBD - is decorated with furniture borrowed from the artist's own homes or friends and whanau. One piece is painted on a pane of glass borrowed from the artist's in-laws' workplace.
The DIY character of this art exhibition adds to a sense of innovation and it's hard to not feel something in this space.
Not only is this a contemporary Pasifika exhibition in downtown Auckland, it's also beautiful... like really beautiful.
Bright colours cover the walls of the studio space at Auckland's Tautai Gallery, which is designed to resemble a South Auckland garage - the birthplace of the Malae/Co. collective.
The music playing is light, fun, and also nostalgic for many in the Pasifika diaspora.
It should be no surprise that memories common to those who've grown up in the Pacific are highlighted throughout the exhibition.
Stained glass panes depict children spending time with grandparents and paintings show everyday shared experiences in a Pacific home.
Artwork from the exhibition Queen Fiapoto: switch, code, reverse by the Samoan artists collective Malae/Co. Photo:
The concept of masks is a key part of this exhibition, too - those we wear to fit in at work and also with our friends and family.
We all wear these masks, and acknowledging that can be difficult, but more difficult is taking them off.
In switch, code, reverse, the artists of Malae/Co. redefine what it means to code-switch, and I would say they excel.
A photographic series represents the growing strength of one artist and her sister, while poetry presents the shared experience of many Samoan women.
More on-the-nose but nevertheless still beautiful is a dreamlike short film that describes the range of 'masks' that the director wears in different environments and really sets the tone of the exhibit.
As first-generation NZ immigrants, our story is substantially different to that of our parents and the memories of our homeland are often cursory. But integrating into Western society has never been easy.
Once upon a time, a generation of Samoans born with one European parent and one Samoan parent were known as 'afakasi'.
These people were taught that they were better than full-blooded Samoans because they were half-white and therefore superior.
Unbeknownst to them, the masks worn by that generation would sew the seeds of trauma for future generations who'd struggle to carve out an identity for themselves that included pride in their heritage but was devoid of hatred.
I've never really been to an art exhibition curated by my people, and I never would've expected to feel so deeply affected by art, I was impressed.
What Malae/Co. have presented here is beautiful, and something that will live on.
Tautai Gallery has months of future events booked, and I hear further Queen Fiapoto exhibitions are already in the works.
Regardless of your heritage or ethnicity, there is something to be felt at their current show.
Exhibition details:
Queen Fiapoto: switch, code, reverse is on in Auckland until 6 May
Tautai Gallery, Level 1, 300 Karangahape Road, Auckland
Artwork from the exhibition Queen Fiapoto: switch, code, reverse by the Samoan artists collective Malae/Co. Photo: Malae/Co.
