Born in Western Samoa in 1946, Fatu Feu'u immigrated to New
Zealand in 1966. One of New Zealand's most celebrated Pacific
artists, he was invited to become Artist in Residence at Elam
School of Fine Arts in 1988, before taking up the position of
Artist in Residence at St Paul's College, Ponsonby in 1991 and
Manukau Polytechnic in 1995. In addition, he was made founding
Artist in Residence at Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies
at the University of Canterbury in 1996. Feu'u travelled to Western
and American Samoa, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, UK, Belgium,
France, and Spain for art research before gaining a post graduate
Diploma in Fine Arts from Elam in 1997.
Feu'u has exhibited nationally and internationally in both group
and solo shows. Works are held in public and private collections in
New Zealand, Australia, USA, England, Holland, American Samoa,
Western Samoa, Japan, West Germany and Belgium.
Feu'u has fulfilled numerous commissions and special projects
both in New Zealand and overseas and has been the recipient of
various awards, notably the James Wallace Art Award in 1995. He is
the subject of many publications including "Speaking in
Colour" by Sean Mellon, (Te Papa Museum, 1997) and a television
documentary entitled "Fatu Feu'u: The Artist" (1990).
Over the years Fatu has been supportive of the careers of many
Pacific Island artists. In founding the Tautai Contemporary Pacific
Arts Trust alongside other artists and prominent business people,
Fatu continues to encourage young artists.
To Feu'u, his work represents his "aspirations for Samoan
culture to be conserved for tomorrow. It is a metaphor of Pacific
warriors looking for land to people the Pacific, in sailing canoes,
taking their culture as they travelled; ceramics, lashing, carving,
tapa (bark cloth) and painting all bound together and not being
lost on the crossings."
"I feel there is so much art to be made, so much to be said
about being a Samoan New Zealander, so much to say to my children,
my mother, the politicians. I paint about the issues that are
important to me, anger, love, the land, conservation and our
culture, my children."