Alumni

School of Visual Arts Graduates Discuss their Careers at Fresh Gallery Otara.

What do you do at Fresh Gallery Otara?

Ema: I work as the Pacific Arts Coordinator and Manager for Fresh Gallery Otara. I manage Fresh Gallery Otara, an exhibitions gallery with a focus on contemporary and customary Pacific art practices. Managing Fresh Gallery Otara enables me to curate and write about visual artists, facilitate professional development opportunities and advocate for Pacific art and accessibility to Pacific communities.

How has your experience working with South Auckland artists contributed to your understanding of the arts community in New Zealand?

Nicole: The people and their voices here are strong and always fighting towards the betterment of the community, it’s amazing! While living and working in a multicultural community like South Auckland I have experienced many stories of homeland and immigration struggles and successes, as well as a vast diversity of art forms ranging from visual arts to dance from traditional to contemporary. These artists play a big part in creating awareness and providing a voice for the people through their art practices.

How does your work at the gallery help bridge the gap between tertiary arts education and arts practice?

Ema: Fresh Gallery Otara often shows the work of students who graduated from MIT School of Visual Arts to give them an opportunity to springboard into the creative industries and showcase their practice. We also hold regular floor talks with groups of students to discuss artwork, exhibitions, site specificity and context – we love hearing the responses students write on contextual studies blogs. It helps to have an art gallery close to the school - openings and artist talk events give students valuable networking opportunities and a little piece of the art world right here in Otara.

How did you meet each other and what are your individual strengths that you bring to the gallery?

Ema: Nicole started working for Council as a CADET, a WINZ work placement programme – she was a recent graduate from MIT School of Visual Arts and undertook a 9-month internship as the Fresh Gallery Otara Assistant. The additional human resource took Fresh Gallery Otara to another level of productivity and I was able to secure the role as a permanent position, for which Nicole applied and secured in 2009. She now has Curatorial + Gallery Assistant responsibilities at the gallery.

Nicole: Ema’s knowledge of sculpture and I of design has brought a very strong visual aspect to the layout, composition and narratives represented in the gallery. Our shared background in visual arts complements the work we do at the gallery and together we are more able to hit our objectives. It’s almost like Ema is my left brain and I’m her right and together we are a force to be reckoned with!

How has your experience at MIT School of Visual Arts influenced your career?

Ema: This landscape of South Auckland is so rich with history and culture, urban survival, memory, love and loss. I chose MIT because it was in Otara, because I didn’t want to study in central Auckland, or anywhere else in New Zealand. Otara sustained me and inspired me, and continues to do so – now I put my blood, sweat and tears into servicing this community.

What is “Fresh10” and what did you bring to the exhibition with your particular curatorial style?

Nicole: Fresh10 acknowledges the achievements of Fresh Gallery Otara throughout the year. The exhibition I curated was a visual melee including highlights from past exhibitions and new works by visual artist from the Fresh Gallery Otara community. As a graphic designer I am interested in illustrations and colour work; and so the exhibition had a particular focus on design, illustration and narration. All the works included in the show were associated with local design-driven arts practice.

We showcased work from 10 artists: Leilani Kake, Niutuiatua Lemalu, Nicole Lim, Pelenato Liufau, Cerisse Palalagi, Genevieve Pini, Jacinda Pini, Dean Purcell, Ema Tavola, Czarina Wilson.

What do you find most rewarding about working at Fresh Gallery Otara?

Ema: The most rewarding conversations are those that I have with young people, largely intermediate school aged children – about art and culture. They give me so much insight and humble me beyond words.

What is your best advice to young artists wanting to pursue an arts education?

Nicole: There’s no such thing as bad criticism, only constructive ones. Learn from it and keep creating!

Keep in Touch

If you are a graduate from any of our MIT arts programmes and would like to receive notices about What’s On at the Faculty of Creative Arts or stay in touch with other graduates or please contact us to update you contact details.

Also, we’d love to know what you are doing now!

Contact : Julie Wright (Frontline Administrator)
Email : creativearts@manukau.ac.nz
Phone : +64 9 968 8780