Unique Pacific Island art now showing in Whanganui

Curator Marilyn Kohlhase with works by Pacific artists at the Artists Open Studios pop-up gallery in Victoria Ave. Photo/Stuart Munro.

Pacific Island art has come to Whanganui with Akateretere Arts at a pop-up gallery in Victoria Ave.

Curator Marilyn Kohlhase has assembled an exhibition of work by artists Fatu Feuu, Kopotama Jacobsen, Fred Oge, Selwyn Palmer, Aldio Pita and others which show the diversity of styles and subjects.

"The artists are from Nuie, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Samoa," she says.

"Some of them are living in other parts of the world now."

There are works that feature traditional designs fused with contemporary patterns and colours.

Other paintings depict concerns like climate change, tsunami and water pollution.

"They are huge concerns for the Island nations represented and domestic violence is another tough subject tackled by some of the artists," says Kohlhase.

Based in Auckland, she is of Samoan and German heritage and has been a long time promoter and supporter of Pacific artists.

"I co-founded Okaioceanikart in 2006 and there have been several incarnations before Akateretere Arts."

Kohlhase has also served on the Creative NZ Pacific Arts Committee and says she is driven by her love of taking Pacific art to new audiences.

"Whanganui will not have seen a collection like this before and I find it exciting to introduce the work to a new audience."

Akateretere Arts pop-up gallery in conjunction with Made in the Neighbourhood is open for viewing as part of Artists Open Studios this weekend and there is a Coffee and Talk Island Style session at 160b Victoria Ave from 10.30am to 12pm on Saturday. Call 021 736 764 to find out more.