ANDY LELEISI'UAO

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Drawing together threads from such disparate sources as Stone-Age rock art, classical Greek vase painting, Egyptian hieroglyphs, and Samoan siapo cloth, Andy Leleisi’uao speaks with a distinctive visual language. The layered worlds of Choirs of Lupotea suggest multiple mythologies at the same time as depicting a cohesive community, defined by its own rules of behaviour.

More akin to a hive than a hierarchy, the beings in Leleisi’uao’s paintings are engaged in collaborative activities “with an inherent consciousness of peace, respect and understanding.” (1) The complex societies of varied creatures perform their tasks with deliberation and it is this purposeful, mutual interaction that Leleisi’uao wishes to emphasise. The objectives of their endeavour remain unidentified: it is the means, rather than the end, that is of importance.

Flying creatures are recurring motifs in Leleisi’uao’s works; in previous works small beings and dark angels have leapt and soared across the canvas but this joyful sense of flight is not seen in the Choirs of Lupotea paintings. Suggesting alternative tellings of the story of the man who flew too close to the sun, winged, Icarus-like figures are central to the Choirs of Etropedia series. Being comforted and comforting in turn, the grounded bird-people are welcomed into their community, wings intact, as multiple suns glow above them.

Just as the jewel-like colours used by Leleisi’uao work together to create a harmonious whole, so too do the geometric forms of tangram pieces and Rubik’s cubes that appear in this suite of works. On one level they work as part of the physical architecture of the painted world, on another they symbolise a unity created from many parts. Silhouetted individuals wend their way through Andy Leleisi’uao’s painted hands, bones and faces, their black uniformity hinting at their shared narratives, histories and futures.

1. Andy Leleisi’uao, Artist’s Statement, June 2013

EXHIBITION PRICELIST

ANDY LELEISI’UAO

b.1969,livesAuckland

Pa'ceaniaPart1-II(2011)

“Leleisi’uao began his artistic career as a widely celebrated social commentator on Samoans living in New Zealand; his paintings controversially exploring issues associated the Samoan diaspora. As he has developed his style, he has begun to both internalize and universalize these themes, exploring fantastical worlds and opening his art to a global audience.”(1)

“‘His work has always been confronting and controversial with a strong social concern to it providing a window to the realities of life for Pacific people and particularly Samoan living in New Zealand. They suffer the problems of the migrant worker and the social dislocation which creates social problems for many. But he also highlights the issues of family violence and the oppressive and destructive roles of the churches in Pacific communities. At times his work was raw and obvious, a screaming at injustices that he saw. In these more recent works though the voice is more moderated and rather than a Pacific voice the works have a more universal theme of social and moral dysfunction and alienation.” (2)

“Leleisi'uao's extraordinary art, which collides with the realities of fa'a Samoa in the 21st century rather than dwelling among the lingering sundrenched images of Polynesia… deals head- on with these processes and effects but on a truly epic scale, with huge canvases which take us on a journey filled with confrontation, rich imagery and uncomfortable truths. What emerges from this Auckland-born artist's imagination is a potent reflection of a cultural interplay as restless and ever-changing as the Pacific Ocean itself.” (3)

Andy Leleisi’uao lives in Auckland. In 2000 he was the first recipient of AUT School of Art and Design Pasifika Scholarship and gained a Master of Fine Arts with honours in 2002. He has received a number of residencies including the Research Scholarship, at the Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies, University of Canterbury in 2008, Artist in Residence, BCA, Rarotonga, Cook Islands in 2009 and Artist in Residence, McCahon House, Titirangi, Auckland in 2010. He has exhibited throughout in New Zealand and has been involved in solo and group exhibitions in Australia, Rarotonga, Germany, Taiwan, and the USA. His work is included in the permanent collections of Pataka Museum and Art Gallery, Te Papa Tongarewa, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, the Chartwell Collection, and the Wallace Arts Trust collection.

1. KateNicholson,‘ArtRadarAsia’,2010

2. JohnDaly-Peoples,‘NationalBusinessReview’,2009

3. ChristopherMoore,‘ThePress’,2010

EDUCATION

ANDY LELEISI’UAO

b.1969,livesAuckland

2002 MA in Art and Design, First Class Honours, AUT, Auckland

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2013 The Choirs of Lupotea, Milford Galleries Dunedin

Le Tumau, Whitespace, Auckland

2012 The Quixotic Cruxifiction of Iesu, Whitespace, Auckland

Dandelion People, BCA, Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Quasimodo Love, PaperGraphica, Christchurch

Polyneitus Spring, Milford Galleries Dunedin

2011 Op City, Whitespace, Auckland

World of Lemeads, ROAR! Gallery, Wellington

The World of Erodipolis, Milford Galleries Dunedin

Arytipidal, Blue Oyster, Dunedin

Ufological City, VOLTA, New York, USA

2010 Cryptid Illuminati, Whitespace, Auckland

Wandering Through Pandemonium Quiet, CoCA Gallery, Christchurch

Andy Leleisi’uao, Thistle Hall, Wellington

Carousel of Cryptid Abanimals, Whitespace, Auckland

2009 Asefeka of the Unmalosa, Kips Gallery, Chelsea, New York, USA

Areatures of the Arctaur People, BCA, Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Le Onoeva - Misunderstood Aitu, Whitespace, Auckland

2008 Andy Leleisi'uao, McCarthy Gallery, Auckland

Angipanis of the Abanimal People, Whitespace, Auckland

2007 Lost Kamoans of the Godly and Godless, Whitespace, Auckland

2006 The Ballad of a Cheeky Darkie, Te Tuhi, Pakuranga, Auckland

Catch a Sparkling Spirit, Salamander Gallery, Christchurch

I Need to See Alien, Whitespace, Auckland

Empowered Wallflower, Whitespace, Auckland

We're Not Black (with I. Nikalo), Salamander Gallery, Christchurch

Cheeky Darkie, Whitespace, Auckland

2004 The Ballad of Tinou'amea and Pepe, Whitespace, Auckland

Dressed to Kill (with J.Ioane), Salamander Gallery, Christchurch

2003 Tribute to W Samoa (with N.Lela'ulu), Salamander Gallery, Christchurch

The Umu Collection of Titles, Whitespace, Auckland

2002 Minoi, Minoi Mai, Salamander Gallery, Christchurch

2001 My Samoan Accent, Artstation Gallery, Ponsonby, Auckland

The Brown Corner, Salamander Gallery, Christchurch

Seta Blue, Mangere People's Centre, Mangere, Manukau

Tired of Silence, Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt, Wellington

2000 Polynesian Grotesques, Muka Studio, Ponsonby, Auckland

Crashed Presbyterian, Te Taumata Art Gallery, Auckland

1999 Patterns of My Lavalava, School of Fine Arts, University of Canterbury, Christchurch

1998 Furious (with G. Hookey), Casula Powerhouse, Sydney, Australia

The Brownest Dawn, The Pumphouse, Takapuna, Auckland

1997 Selected Works, Pakuranga Cultural Centre, Manukau

Waking Up To My Polynesian Spine, Aotea Centre, Auckland

1996 Selected Works, Aotea Centre, Auckland

1995 Selected Works, Manurewa Nathan Homestead, Auckland

Selected Works, Papatoetoe Library, Manukau, Auckland

Early Escapades, Mangere Community Arts Centre, Manukau, Auckland

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2013 The Review, milford galleries queenstown

New Works Group Show, Milford Galleries Dunedin

2012 Drawing the Line, Whitespace, Auckland

Not for Entertainment, Whitespace, Auckland

NZ Adam Portraiture Award and Exhibition

Chosen, milford galleries queenstown

2011 Tree House McCahon Residency, Titirangi, Auckland

Wonderland, Chambers, Christchurch

Tenei a Wairoa, Uxbridge Centre, Auckland

Drawing Show, Papergraphica, Christchurch

Salon des Refuses, The Pah, Hillsborough, Auckland

CURRENT, October Gallery, London, England

Pacific Currents, Waiheke Community Art Gallery, Auckland

2010 Team McMillan BMW Bonnet Awards, Newmarket, Auckland

Living Doll, Quiqcorp, Central Christchurch

Anthony Harper Award for Contemporary Art, COCA, Christchurch

Aids Awareness, Bone and Art Gallery, Christchurch

Manuia, Native American Community House, New York, USA

TAV Air Group Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan

2009 My True Love Gave To Me…, Whitespace, Ponsonby, Auckland

ROAR! Mince Pies, ROAR! Gallery, Wellington

Art Asia/Scope International Contemporary Art, Chelsea, New York, USA

Travelling Exhibition, New Dowse Museum, Lower Hutt, Wellington

James Wallace Awards Selected Finalists, BNZ Gallery, Aotea Square, Auckland

Queer Takes, Quiqcorp Gallery, Central Christchurch

Take 40, Fresh Gallery, Otara, Auckland

2008 Anon Drawings No 9 show, Kunstraum Kreuzberg, Bethanien, Berlin, Germany

Axis, Selected Works from MCC Art Collection, Manukau City

Le Folauga 2, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan

Bite Me!, Our City O-Tautahi, Christchurch

Samoa Contemporary, Tauranga Art Gallery, Tauranga

James Wallace Awards Selected Finalists, Aotea Square, The Edge, Auckland

Samoa Contemporary, Sarjeant Gallery, Wanganui

Anthony Harper Award for Contemporary Art, CoCA, Christchurch

Artists for Save our Water, NG Gallery, Christchurch

The Artist Room, Whitespace, Auckland

Samoa Contemporary, Pataka, Museum of Arts and Cultures, Wellington

Dateline Returns, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, Palmerston North Political World, Whitespace, Auckland

Los Angeles Art Show with Whitespace, Los Angeles, USA

2007 Date Line, Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, Berlin, Germany

Scriptures from the West, Beachcomber Gallery, Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Life According to Art, Waikato Museum, Hamilton

Le Foulaga, The Past Coming Forward, Auckland Museum, Auckland

2006 Relations Indigenous Dialogue Exhibition, IAIA Museum Santa Fe, New Mexico

Works on Paper, COCA, Christchurch, Christchurch

2004 Weird Names for Girls, Platform, Hamilton

2003 Another Day in Paradise, The Den, Auckland

Six Pacific Artists, Salamander Gallery, Christchurch

20/20 Sight Spacific, COCA, Christchurch, Christchurch

Pacific Notions, Whitespace, Auckland

2002 Pacific Notions, Rozelle, Sydney, Australia

Pacific Notions, Columbia, New York, USA

Cross Currents, Lane Gallery, Auckland

South Pacific, Waiheke Island, Auckland

2001 Out of the Blue, Hawkes Bay, Hastings

2000 Sway, MA Group Show, AUT, Auckland

Go Home You Deserve To Die Samoa, AUT, Auckland

Island Crossings, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia

1999 As Is/Where Is, Mangere Arts Centre, Mangere, Auckland

1998 A Sea Change, Olympic Arts Festival, Sydney, Australia

Fireworks, Aotea Centre, Auckland Central, Auckland

Testing Traditions, Aotea Centre, Auckland Central, Auckland

1997 Out of the Blue, Salamander Gallery, Christchurch

Tautai Exhibition, Outreach Centre, Howick, Manukau

Romance of the Mask, Uxbridge Centre, Howick, Manukau

Searching, The Pumphouse, Takapuna, Auckland

From Here to There, Manukau City Chambers, Manukau

Dots on the Blue, Pakuranga Cultural Centre, Auckland

1996 Tokoroa Art Awards, Tokoroa, Waikato

The Seventh Pacific Festival of Arts, Apia, Samoa

Mangere Bridge Art Exhibition, Mangere Bridge, Auckland

The Pumphouse Art Awards, Takapuna, Auckland

Pacific Dragons, Uxbridge Centre, Howick, Manukau

Pasifika with Tautai Trust, Western Springs, Auckland

1995 Beyond the Mask, Chiaroscuro Gallery, Auckland

1985 Auckland Star Secondary Schools Exhibitions, Auckland

SELECTED AWARDS

2013 Artist in Residence, Bridge Guard, Slovakia

2012 Artist in Residence, Uni-tech, Auckland

2011 Funding from Creative New Zealand towards group exhibition in London, England

Wallace Arts Trust funding towards solo exhibition, New York, USA

2010 Artist in Residence, McCahon House, Titirangi, Auckland

Funding from Creative New Zealand to travel within Taiwan and to Hong Kong

Artist in Residence, Taipei Artist Village, Taiwan

2009 Artist in Residence, BCA, Rarotonga, Cook Islands

2008

Funding from Creative NZ towards solo exhibition at Kips Gallery, Chelsea, New York, USA

Funding from Creative New Zealand towards Le Onoeva - Misunderstood Aitu catalogue

Research Scholarship, Macmillan Brown Centre, University of Canterbury

2006 Charles Southwell Award, NZ Association of Rationalists and Humanists (INC)

2004 Funding from Creative New Zealand towards solo exhibition at Whitespace, Auckland

Funding from Creative New Zealand towards solo exhibition at Whitespace, Auckland

2002 MA in Art and Design, First Class Honours, AUT, Auckland

2001 Funding from Creative New Zealand towards solo exhibition at Salamander Gallery, Christchurch Powhiri opening for Seta Blue and mural, Mangere People's Centre, Manukau

Recipient of the James Wallace Postgraduate Exhibiting Scholarship

2000 Funding from Creative New Zealand towards solo exhibition at Dowse Art Museum, Wellington

First recipient of AUT School of Art and Design Pasifika Scholarship

1999 Artist in Residence, Macmillan Brown Centre, University of Canterbury

1998 First recipient of Martin Hughes Interior Architects Travel Grant

Artist in Residence, Casula Powerhouse, Liverpool, Sydney Australia

Funding from the Australian Arts Council for a Residency in Sydney

1997 Funding from Creative New Zealand towards solo exhibition at Pumphouse Gallery, Auckland

Certificate of Appreciation from Mayor of Manukau for supporting local arts

1996 Funding from Creative New Zealand to travel to the Sixth Festival of Arts in Samoa

1995 Merit Award, Pumphouse Art Awards, Pumphouse Gallery, Auckland

Funding from Creative New Zealand towards solo exhibition at Mangere Arts Centre, Manukau

1994 Artist in Residence, Mangere Community Arts Centre, Mangere

COLLECTIONS

Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tamaki Collection

Auckland University Collection

Casula Powerhouse, Sydney, Australia

Chartwell Trust Collection

AndyLeleisi’uao2013CV

Leo Benenson Collection Museum of Ethnography, Frankfurt, Germany

Ilam University Collection, Canterbury

James Wallace Trust Collection

Manukau City Collection

Pacific Business Trust, Otahuhu, Auckland

Pataka Museum of Arts and Cultures, Wellington Te Papa, Museum of New Zealand

BIBLIOGRAPHY

2011 ‘Offbeat Discoveries and an Easygoing Vibe Give Volta a Positive Charge’, www.artinfo.com, 2011 <https://www.artinfo.com/news/story/37153/offbeat-discoveries-andan-easygoing-vibegive-volta-a-positive-charge/?page=1>

2010 Moore, Christopher. The Press, July 17, 2010

Khan, David. COCA Galley, July 6, 2010

Arboleda, Yazmany. The Huffington Post, April 28, 2010

Nicholson, Kate. Art Rader Asia, April 12, 2010

Daly Peoples, John. National Business Review, April 12, 2010

2009 The Malo Conversations. Blackmail Press, Number 26, New Zealand Poets Online

Mine, Kamoan with K. Higgins. Space Between Journal, Hawai’i Leleisi’uao, Andy, Captain Kirk in the South Pacific. Art News, Summer, pg 72 Brownson, Ron and Dr. P. Zeplin. Andy Leleisi’uao, Essays, Whitespace, Auckland Akersten, Matt. Gaynewzealand.com, May 22, 2009

McNamara, T.J. The New Zealand Herald, April 11, 2009

Daly Peoples, John. National Business Review, 3 April, 2009

2008 Submission in FIKA, Pasefika Writers Group, Christchurch

The New Zealand Herald May 01, 2008 - T. J. McNamara

2006 Coley, John. The Press, March 22, 2006

2005 Watson, Aron. ART ZONE, No.9, 2005

2004 Stevenson, Dr. Karen (Senior Lecturer in the School of Fine Arts). University of Canterbury No.1

2003 Dunn, Michael. New Zealand Painting, A Concise History, 2003 ISBN 1869402979, 9781869402976

Brownson, Ron. Pacific Art Association Conference, Against the Grain: Counter-Images of Urban Pacific Identity, 2003

Caroline Vercoe (MA, Auckland University Senior Lecturer). Pacific Art Association Conference, Against the Grain: Counter-Images of Urban Pacific Identity (edited version), 2003

2002 (ed.) Sean Mallon and Pandora Fulimalo Pereira, Pacific Art Niu Sila, The Pacific Dimension of Contemporary New Zealand Arts, 2002

Mellon, Sean. Samoan Art and Artists, O Measina a Samoa, 2002

Fitzgerald, Michael. TIME, April 8, 2002

Hynes, Victoria. The Sydney Morning Herald, March 22, 2002

2001 Mallon, Sean. ART ASIA PACIFIC, Issue Number 31, 2001

Wong, Gilbert. The New Zealand Herald, February 19, 2001

1999 The Chronicle, Thursday August 19, 1999

The Press, August 18, 1999

Johnstone, Jocelyn. The Christchurch Star, June 30, 1999

Community Arts Express, New South Wales, December, 1998

Brownson, Ron. Art New Zealand, Number 87, Winter, 1998

A Sea Change, The Sydney Morning Herald,1998

Gregg, Stacy. Sunday Star Times, July 5, 1998

Hansby, Bill. Manukau Courier, April 2, 1998

Carroll, Penelope. The New Zealand Herald, September 29, 1997 Manukau Courier, September 25, 1997

Page, Maud. ART ASIA PACIFIC, Issue Number 14, 1997

Rae, Bernadette, The New Zealand Herald, June 14, 1995

AndyLeleisi’uao2013CV

www.milfordgalleries.co.nz