To me, art is not just about painting or sculpting. Art is part of everything we do, whether it's building a house, or the way we talk to our family and friends, something we do with respect. Fatu Feu'u.
Opening Speaker, Dr Tearikivao (Kiki) Maoate, Chairman, Pasifika Medical Association Group
Fa’atasi (Together) brings together three significant figures in Samoan contemporary art—Fatu Feu’u, Andy Leleisi’uao, and Raymond Sagapolutele—each contributing distinct yet interconnected perspectives on modern Pacific identity.
Fatu Feu’u, widely regarded as the godfather of Pacific contemporary art, has played a foundational role in the development of Pacific visual culture, both in Aotearoa and across the wider Moana region. His 2002 Creative New Zealand residency in Rarotonga, co-hosted by the Cook Islands Ministry of Cultural Development, was a pivotal moment in fostering artistic exchange, inspiring local artists through workshops and exhibitions. His vibrant, symbol-laden paintings embody the dynamism of Pacific storytelling, reflecting the deep spiritual and genealogical traditions of Samoa while embracing modernist abstraction.
Returning to the Cook Islands, Feu’u is joined by Andy Leleisi’uao and Raymond Sagapolutele, two artists whose work expands the narrative of contemporary Samoan experience. Leleisi’uao’s distinctive visual language explores social hierarchies, migration, and the tensions of cultural hybridity, presenting surreal, otherworldly figures that exist between history and futurism. Sagapolutele, a photographer and mixed-media artist, brings an intimate, documentary perspective, capturing the lived realities of the Pacific diaspora through lens-based storytelling and symbolic motifs.
Through painting, print, and photography, Fa’atasi speaks to the collective strength of Pacific creative expression—honoring shared histories while forging new artistic dialogues. This exhibition celebrates both continuity and transformation, positioning Samoan contemporary art within an evolving conversation about identity, community, and the role of art in shaping the Pacific’s future.
