Pacific Hibiscus in God NZone.. and now in Treviso, Italy...

http://imagomundiart.com/artworks/helen-tauau-filisi-pacific-hibiscus-god-nzone

Pacific Hibiscus in God NZone (Feb 2016)

It's finally online! my first painting on exhibition in Italy as one of 210 New Zealand artists (both emerging and established) in the Imago Mundi world collection through the Bennetton Foundation and such a privilege to be a part of this collection. The link is above if you would like to see more of the exhibition in both NZ and around the world.

The amazing part about it was that the curator had seen some of my artwork online and then invited me to be a part of the NZ Collection. I remember when in Intermediate (middle school) one of my art pieces was chosen to go in an Auckland school's exhibition collection. I remember I had screen printed Maori/Pacific designs onto a white pillow case and my family and I went to see it featured in town somewhere. I was about 11 years old at the time and never really thought to pursue art seriously as a career but now I am able to enjoying expressing ideas through art in self publishing books. Quite an amazing turn.

The above piece has a story to it and it features some things that are important to me. The star is likened to the Christmas story. The panel on the left details my Samoan heritage and these particular patterns I have doodled on so many books over the past as I'd attend meetings and discussions and now features in a lot of my artwork. The various other panels are symbolic of my parents leaving Samoa and moving to NZ via boat hence the waves and my love of the tropical sea/waters. The pandanus weaving of mats and the flax of my now NZ homeland and pacific patterns depicting my strong identity as a SamoaNZ women.

This is such a neat surprise and gift as we move towards Christmas celebrations...