The 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT10) Catalogue

Artists The 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art 134 Hifo ki ‘Olunga (work-in-progress image) 2021 Hifo ki ‘Olunga (details) 2021 Synthetic polymer paint, recycled fabrics, barkcloth, wood, coconut shells, dried pandanus, mixed media / Dimensions variable / Commissioned for APT10 / Purchased 2021 with funds from Tim Fairfax AC through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Seleka International Art Society Initiative studio / Photograph: Taniela Petelo (opposite) Hifo ki ‘Olunga (detail) 2021 Synthetic polymer paint, recycled fabrics, barkcloth, wood, coconut shells, dried pandanus, mixed media / Dimensions variable / Commissioned for APT10 / Purchased 2021 with funds from Tim Fairfax AC through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Images courtesy: Taniela Petelo Since its inception in 2008, the Seleka International Art Society Initiative has evolved into Tonga’s most distinctive contemporary arts movement. The initiative was founded by Tongan-born artist Tevita Latu to fulfil a promise he made to himself: to return to his homeland and contribute to arts education after completing a Bachelor of Fine Art from the National Art School in Sydney. Taniela Petelo was one of Latu’s earliest students and, in addition to making his own work, now co-leads the activities of the initiative, which involves a growing number of young painters, sculptors, musicians and dancers. Seleka’s studio was built by its members — Selekarians — at Latu’s family home in Haveluloto. Made out of painted, recycled and found objects, along with natural resources, the studio is a work of art in itself — designed as a space, open to all, that cultivates freedom of thought, artistic expression and collaboration. The studio is a vibrant gathering place that has supported more than 200 young people to find their individual voices through art. For APT10, Hifo ki ‘Olunga 2021 signifies Seleka’s most ambitious project to date. As lead artists, Latu and Petelo have facilitated the creation of a multifaceted installation that, in both process and concept, highlights the distinct style and collaborative, community- based focus of Seleka’s approach to unlocking the imagination and shaping environments through art. The installation is composed around a suspended Tongan fale (house made of local materials) clad in pola (woven coconut fronds) and an outhouse. Seven groups of painted works, thickly layered with narrative, are integrated into its structure. Set behind the fale is a striking arrangement of 200 greyscale works on paper, titled Ongo Fangufangu Mana’ Pauni Ono ‘e Lau Ngeau . This expansive vista, alongside a smaller horizontal arrangement titled Ngoue Si’i , draws on elements of the Tongan kupesi (designs) used in ngatu (painted barkcloth), grounding the work in customary aesthetics and markers of time and place linked to local landscapes and personal experiences. Upon entering the fale , audiences are immersed in an unbound space largely reminiscent of the collective’s art studio. Here, the overarching title of the work, Hifo ki ‘Olunga — which translates literally to ‘descend up’ or ‘get down to the top’ — resounds most keenly. Objects and artworks are displayed with a disorienting disregard for conventional viewing. On the ceiling, a circular arrangement of a kava bowl and coconut- shell cups connect to a series of collaborative paintings. Together these works honour the initiative’s broad membership and the dynamic collision of conversation that takes place as Selekarians gather, often nightly, to create art and drink kava (social beverage). The coloured works and layered portraits that line the two main walls of the fale invite a select group of individuals, narratives and cultural reference points into the conversation and celebrate the connections forged and found through creative exchanges. On one side, Petelo’s textured collages, titled Tu’a Mata Moana , deconstruct and reform aspirations of travel and an inquisitiveness for foreign ideals. On the opposite wall, Latu’s Tufu Mahina and The Workers capture characters and anecdotes from a time when his family led the work of cultivating the royal farmlands situated in front of the King of Tonga’s private residence — an experience that continues to be a source of symbolic potency for the artist. The centrality of community engagement to Seleka’s practice resonates throughout the project, which has included working with the local Brisbane Tongan community. The ACAPA Pasifika Community Engagement Project supported members of this Brisbane-based community to collaborate with Selekarians through the design and delivery of an intergenerational learning space that resulted in the realisation of several elements of the project, including the fale ’s woven exterior. This highly distinctive installation marks a pivotal achievement for the Seleka International Art Society Initiative — in Hifo ki ‘Olunga , Selekarians translate their unique approach to art- making and collectivity into a dramatic installation for a contemporary art institution — and its diverse audiences — in another country. In doing so, they are able to convey the distinct context of their practice, share local knowledge and culture and represent the dynamic and expanding contemporary arts scene evolving in the island nation of Tonga. Ruha Fifita Seleka International Art Society Initiative Established 2008, Haveluloto, Tonga Tevita Latu Born 1987, Tofoa, Tonga Lives and works in Haveluloto, Toesga Taniela Petelo Born 1978, Tofoa, Tonga Lives and works in Haveluloto, Tonga