Moses Viliamu
Shared Lines: Pūtahitanga exhibiting artist
North Wind (2018) Mono print
Malo ni - I am a New Zealand born Tokelau/Samoa artist born in Porirua my parents migrated here in 1960.
So my art is really about exploring my identity growing up in New Zealand of Pacifica descent but not been brought up in the islands. So how do I identify my culture when I can't relate to the traditional islanders of my parents? and I am not a Maori or palagi of New Zealand?
I had to forge a new identity which is New Zealand Born Pacific Islander or a kiwi islander. Hence most of my work is not traditional Pacific but contemporary Pacific. Therefore I make up new patterns, style but keeping a hint of Pacifica in it.
So I explored this using favourite mediums of printing, painting, illustrating, drawing and more recently digital mediums through graphic design, video, visual projections and online apps etc...
Shared Lines: Pūtahitanga 2020
During our first lockdown Zoom and the quiz game of Kahoot was how our family coped and communicated. Combining the two apps and the message that Scientist predict that at the current rate of sea rising The Island of Tokelau will be under water in 50 yrs.
My homeland gone forever? is unbelievable to fathom but a reality - we especially as Tokelaun - need to grasp and highlight to the rest of the world to stop or at least slow down the process.
A campaign that does this well is called "350.org" 350 representing the safe level of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. We are currently measuring 400+