More than all the ocean between us

Hi, my name is Talia Smith. I am of Cook Island, Samoan & NZ European heritage. I was born in New Plymouth, spent most of my adult life in Auckland until I moved to Sydney five years ago. I am an artist and curator, having exhibited and curated shows around Australia and New Zealand.

'More than all of the ocean between us' is an ongoing curatorial research project that investigates the changes and growth within emerging contemporary Pacific heritage time-based practices - in particular video and photographic media.

In May 2019, I will present a snapshot of my research in a curated exhibition at Artspace Sydney in their Ideas Platform (https://www.artspace.org.au/program/ideas-platform/). The exhibition will consist of imagery from each participating artist and there will be a small publication available that will feature the artists and writers who I have engaged to write.

Historically photography was used as an Ethnographic tool to document Pacific peoples in a way that stripped them of their own agency. With the developments of visual art and the accessibility of smart phones and equipment, Pacific heritage peoples have now truly become the author of their own histories and this colonial tool. It is an exciting time to document this emerging level growth while acknowledging established artists practices that were instrumental in the change of relationship to photography and pacific people.

However the main focus of this project is what stories, relationships and histories are being told at this emerging level. This project will add to the growth of emerging contemporary Pacific Art in New Zealand and will celebrate the diverse practices that are being explored by the following emerging artists and writers: Christopher Ulutupu, Melody Jazz Makavani, Tehor-Lina Mareko, Natasha Matila-Smith and Ioana Gordon Smith.

Each artist selected is wide-ranging in conceptual approach to their work and are very much in the emerging stage of their careers, I believe that this opportunity to have their work critiqued by an New Zealand audience as well as have an essay written about their work will be key to their continued success and development.

This fundraising will go to supporting the travel and accommodation for the artists and writers to attend the opening event and to also provide fees and costs towards the associated publication.