Fatu Feu'u
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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 Westernand 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 ofvarious awards, notably the James Wallace Art Award in 1995. He is the subject of many publications including &ldquo Speaking in Colour&ldquo by Sean Mellon, (Te Papa Museum, 1997) and a television documentary entitled &ldquo Fatu Feu'u: The Artist&ldquo (1990).
Over the years Fatu has been supportive of the careers of many Pacific Island artists. In founding the Tautai Contemporary PacificArts Trust alongside other artists and prominent business people, Fatu continues to encourage young artists.
To Feu'u, his work represents his &ldquo aspirations for Samoanculture to be conserved for tomorrow. It is a metaphor of Pacificwarriors 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 beinglost on the crossings.&ldquo
&ldquo 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.&ldquo