Mama Bateseba Daniel, Si’ufaitoto’a Simanu Ieremia, Charles Krause, Etevise Nikolao, Pusi Urale and Louisa Humphry

MATUA is an acknowledgement of those who informed some of our Moana Pacific artists’ personal creative histories. Art history has labelled their type of artistic output as ‘outsider’, ‘naïve’ and ‘craft’, none of which are incorrect, but none of which considers the individual’s prior learning and philosophies. For this reason, it is a celebration of intuitive and memory-based art practice. Their works are unfettered-from-art-history execution.

As is part of the Moana Pacific cultures, the curator takes this opportunity to acknowledge elders and ancestors as the filament that lit the way for many. Their abstract thought in physical form gave birth to more abstract thought. It is a privilege to have their art objects/ taonga/measina with us still.

Leafa Wilson: Guest curator for [tacit] gallery 2018

Image credit: Trees, C A Krause, ink on paper, c.1979

This exhibition runs until the 23 August