Worker in Progress: Artist activation of Tutaka Overalls - Tipani (2020)
Image: Fe’ena Syme Buchanan
Welcoming Ani O’Neill to the Te Whare Hēra residency!
Ani O’Neill is an artist of Cook Island Maori (Ngati Makea, Ngati Te Tika) and Irish descent. Her art practice is rooted in techniques and perspectives from both her traditional homeland of Rarotonga and her birthplace within the Pacific Diaspora of Auckland, New Zealand. The techniques that form the foundations of O’Neill’s practice are inspired by her grandmother’s traditions based on Cook Islands material and ceremonial culture and span the use of craft, installation, object making, and performance. An ongoing thread throughout O’Neill’s career is to honour collaboration as a core part of Pacific Island philosophy and survival. This is evident in her practice through her many collaborations with artists in festival performances, presentations, interactive exhibition installations, and workshops. She has participated in numerous exhibitions and residencies throughout New Zealand, the Pacific, Australia, Europe, and the United States as a solo artist and as a member of the Pacific Sisters.
Since graduating in the mid 1990s Ani has shown artwork and staged projects that pioneered a making, installation and performance practice that emerged out of her family cultural tradition and her active participation in the artist-run scene in Tāmaki Makaurau. Ani’s practice continues to re-act to site-specificity, seeking opportunity to bounce ideas and respond to where and who she is with whilst incorporating/questioning what she herself brings to share with people and places.
Being based in Pōneke during this residency Ani will use this time to visit galleries and museums, celebrate Matariki with her Wellington based Pacific Sister Suzanne Tamaki and host Pacific Sister Feeonaa Clifton (co-collaborating as Ariki Stars), whilst visiting friends and family within the area.
Ani will also be using the studio space to reflect and continue developing a tivaivai taorei project: ‘Korōna 2020, spending some of her time connecting with family and friends over pieces of this work.
Thursday 27 July Ani will be taking part of an artist talk/ panel in collaboration with Urban Dream Brokerage.
Holding Space
Thursday 27th July 2023
4:00pm – 6:00pm
113/115 Taranaki St, Te Aro
Ani is actively interested to continue to meet artists and makers who are specifically interested in developing Moana led projects. Where exhibitions and events support collaborative practices that are fun, important, relevant and sustainable.
“Making connections for people to participate and experience life through art allows us all to be enriched and inspired. We continue to recover new levels of customary knowledge for the benefit of all generations of Moana people, and the ripples of joy that we create will be felt by those around us. Let us make some waves!”
MATA <>+<> ARIKI at Pukepuke: Ani O’Neill holds Large Whetu and kit for TUPUĀNUKU (Week 6). James Cook High School, Manurewa, South Auckland. (2023)
Image: Feeonaa Clifton / Ariki Stars 2023