Ema Tavola Explained

Ema Tavola
Birth Date:1982
Nationality:Fiji, New Zealand
Education:Manukau School of Visual Arts
Occupation:Artist & curator
Organization: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'.[1] [2]

Early life and family

Tavola was born in Fiji. Her father is from Dravuni in the Kadavu province of Fiji.[3] [4] 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.[5] In 2013 it re-opened after expansion.[6]

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).[7] [8] [9]

In 2019 Tavola opened an independent art gallery called Vunilagi Vou.[10]

Tavola's artworks are held the collections at Auckland Art Gallery.[11]

Curatorial work

Awards and residencies

2017 – Pacific Studies Artist in Residence – University of Canterbury Macmillan Brown Centre

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 29 June 2017 . Ema Tavola appointed Pacific Studies Artist in Residence at UC . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240518143739/https://creativenz.govt.nz/News-and-blog/2022/06/15/02/26/06/Ema-Tavola-appointed-Pacific-Studies-Artist-in-Residence-at-UC . 18 May 2024 . 19 November 2024 . Creative New Zealand.
  2. Web site: Volume: Bodies of Knowledge . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20220204010054/https://metroarts.com.au/volume/ . 4 February 2022 . 9 February 2022 . Metro Arts: What's On . en-AU.
  3. Web site: Husband . Dale . 28 March 2021 . Ema Tavola: What our artists are telling us . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240524013752/https://e-tangata.co.nz/korero/ema-tavola-what-our-artists-are-telling-us/ . 24 May 2024 . 9 February 2022 . E-Tangata . en-NZ.
  4. Web site: 16 May 2019 . About Vasemaca (FKA Ema) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20241119224439/https://vunilagivou.com/about-2/about-ema/ . 19 November 2024 . 9 February 2022 . Vunilagi Vou . en-GB.
  5. Web site: Māhina-Tuai . Kolokesa U. . 22 October 2014 . Pacific arts in New Zealand - Pacific arts in Auckland: Fresh Gallery, Ōtara . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240720214010/https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/44259/fresh-gallery-otara . 20 July 2024 . 2022-02-09 . . . en.
  6. Web site: Evans . Adrian . 3 April 2013 . Refreshing start for Otara gallery . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220209213643/https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/8507492/Refreshing-start-for-Otara-gallery . 9 February 2022 . 9 February 2022 . . en.
  7. Web site: 2019 . 2019 Para Site International Conference . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20241119074756/https://www.para-site.art/conferences/2019-para-site-international-conference/ . 19 November 2024 . 9 February 2022 . . en.
  8. Web site: 2019 . Singapore Art Book Fair - SGABF2019 Exhibitors . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240530171617/https://singaporeartbookfair.org/2019 . 30 May 2024 . 9 February 2022 . Singapore Art Book Fair . en.
  9. Web site: 2019 . Projects: Spinning Triangles: Ignition of a school of design . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240724051127/https://savvy-contemporary.com/en/projects/2019/spinning-triangles/ . 24 July 2024 . 9 February 2022 . SAVVY Contemporary . en.
  10. Web site: Writers: Ema Tavola . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240419235926/https://pantograph-punch.com//writers/ema-tavola . 19 April 2024 . 9 February 2022 . Pantograph Punch.
  11. Web site: Artist: Ema Tavola . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240529173700/https://www.aucklandartgallery.com/explore-art-and-ideas/artist/11246/ema-tavola . 29 May 2024 . 9 February 2022 . . en.
  12. Web site: 2016 . Edmiston Gallery Archive - Dravuni: Sivia yani na Vunilagi - Beyond the Horizon . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240714084927/https://www.maritimemuseum.co.nz/edmiston-gallery-archive . 14 July 2024 . 9 February 2022 . . en.
  13. Web site: 2017 . Kaitani Curated by Ema Tavola . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240623054719/https://physicsroom.org.nz/exhibitions/kaitani-curated-by-ema-tavola . 23 June 2024 . 9 February 2022 . The Physics Room.
  14. Web site: Ford . Emily . 30 September 2018 . Artists taking south Auckland to Morocco for international exhibition . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220209213645/https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/arts/107462544/artists-taking-south-auckland-to-morocco-for-international-exhibition . 9 February 2022 . 9 February 2022 . . en.

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