|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ART AND HUMAN RIGHTS:
|
School of Art Gallery |
|
| Michel Tuffery was born in 1966 in Wellington,
Aotearoa/New Zealand and currently lives and works there. An artist of
Samoan,
Tahitian and Cook Island descent, Tuffery has been awarded several national
and international art prizes, public commissions and residencies. Since
gaining his Diploma of Fine Arts at Otago Polytechnic
(NZ), and pursuing further Fine Arts study at the University of Hawaii
at Manoa, Tuffery has held numerous exhibitions and performances throughout
the Pacific and his work is in public collections throughout New Zealand
and internationally for example the National Gallery of Australia. His
work was also included in the First and Third Asia-Pacific Triennial
exhibitions.
Tuffery works in a variety of media and is internationally acknowledged as a sculptor, painter, designer and performance artist. Among his most recognised works are his corned beef bull sculptures, made from recycled corned beef tins, which seek to address the social, political and environmental issues related to the cultural importation and consumption of Western style canned foods in the Pacific. Performances associated with these “bulls” were held in New Caledonia, Auckland, NZ, and in Brisbane involving local Indigenous communities. Across his sculptures, performances and mixed media work in the last ten years, environmental and ecological issues have been continuing themes for exploration by Tuffery, as have general matters of local cultural survival in the Pacific and New Zealand. More specifically, the artist’s work is a public outlet for the personal exploration of the many dimensions of his cultural background. He has stated "I am using traditional design motifs, stories, dances and songs in a contemporary way." Tuffery regularly involves the pacific island communities in his performance works. For this exhibition he will work with students from the Canberra School of Art and present a major installation and performance which addresses social practises of Pacific communities such as Parihaka & Porirua.
|
Michel Tuffrey |
|
This page has been authorized by Professor Iain McCalman, Director HRC as relevant
officer. |
