| Ema Tavola | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1982 |
| Nationality | Fiji, New Zealand |
| Education | Manukau School of Visual Arts |
| Occupation | Artist & curator |
| Organization(s) | Founder of Fresh Gallery and Vunilagi Vou galleries in Auckland |
| Known for | Advocacy of Pacific art and artists |
Ema Tavola (born 1982) is an artist, curator, arts manager and advocate using art to centralise 'Pacific ways of seeing'.
Early life and family
Tavola was born in Fiji. Her father is from Dravuni in the Kadavu province of Fiji. Her mother is a third generation Pākehā from Palmerston North in New Zealand. While she was growing up she also lived with her family in London and Belgium. As a teenager they moved to Wellington, New Zealand and she attended Wellington High School. After high school Tavola was having a gap year in Fiji and experienced the 2000 Fiji civilian coup.
Education and career
Returning to New Zealand Tavola went on to study a Bachelor of Visual Arts from Manukau School of Visual Arts in South Auckland, and got a job with Manukau City Council after graduating.
In 2006 she founded the Fresh Gallery in Ōtara, Auckland as a partnership with Manukau City Council and the local community. In 2013 it re-opened after expansion.
Artistic career
Tavola has speaking engagements at conferences and other places. In 2019 she was a guest speaker at Para Site International Conference, Hong Kong, the Singapore Art Book Fair for NTU Centre for Contemporary Art (Singapore) and Spinning Triangles: Ignition of a School of Design for SAVVY Contemporary (Berlin, Germany / Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo).
In 2019 Tavola opened an independent art gallery called Vunilagi Vou.
Tavola's artworks are held the collections at Auckland Art Gallery.
Curatorial work
- 2016 – Dravuni: Sivia yani na Vunilagi – Beyond the Horizon - New Zealand Maritime Museum
- 2017 – Kaitani – The Physics Room (New Zealand)
- 2018 – A Maternal Lens – 4th International Biennial of Casablanca (Morocco)
- 2018 – Dravuni: Sivia yani na Vunilagi – Beyond the Horizon - Oceania Centre for Arts, Culture and Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific (Fiji)
Awards and residencies
2017 – Pacific Studies Artist in Residence – University of Canterbury Macmillan Brown Centre
References
- ^ "Ema Tavola appointed Pacific Studies Artist in Residence at UC". Creative New Zealand. 29 June 2017. Archived from the original on 18 May 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
- "Volume: Bodies of Knowledge". Metro Arts: What's On. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ Husband, Dale (28 March 2021). "Ema Tavola: What our artists are telling us". E-Tangata. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ "About Vasemaca (FKA Ema)". Vunilagi Vou. 16 May 2019. Archived from the original on 19 November 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- Māhina-Tuai, Kolokesa U. (22 October 2014). "Pacific arts in New Zealand - Pacific arts in Auckland: Fresh Gallery, Ōtara". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Archived from the original on 20 July 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- Evans, Adrian (3 April 2013). "Refreshing start for Otara gallery". Stuff. Archived from the original on 9 February 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- "2019 Para Site International Conference". Para Site. 2019. Archived from the original on 19 November 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- "Singapore Art Book Fair - SGABF2019 Exhibitors". Singapore Art Book Fair. 2019. Archived from the original on 30 May 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- "Projects: Spinning Triangles: Ignition of a school of design". SAVVY Contemporary. 2019. Archived from the original on 24 July 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- "Writers: Ema Tavola". Pantograph Punch. Archived from the original on 19 April 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- "Artist: Ema Tavola". Auckland Art Gallery. Archived from the original on 29 May 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- "Edmiston Gallery Archive - Dravuni: Sivia yani na Vunilagi - Beyond the Horizon". New Zealand Maritime Museum. 2016. Archived from the original on 14 July 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- "Kaitani Curated by Ema Tavola". The Physics Room. 2017. Archived from the original on 23 June 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- Ford, Emily (30 September 2018). "Artists taking south Auckland to Morocco for international exhibition". Stuff. Archived from the original on 9 February 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.