Esula Village from a distance
Esula Village from a distance
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Artist
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Production Date
2003
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Medium
acrylic on canvas
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Size
330 x 240 mm
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Credit
Chartwell Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, 2003
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Accession Number
C2003/1/36
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Accession Date
13 Aug 2003
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Department
New Zealand Art
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Classification
Painting
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Collection
Chartwell
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Subjects
mythology, villages, figures (representations), Samoans, hills, palm trees, emblems (symbols), technology, aircraft, railroads, telecommunication systems
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Description
This painting explores a mythical island a century after the inhabitants have voyaged there from their Samoan homeland. Esula Village was earlier occupied by aliens that suddenly departed leaving behind all their technology for Samoan immigrants to use upon their arrival. The Mivimivi people show the Esula villagers how to decorate their new homeland with treasures collected from journeys taken to many parts of the world.
Like a Samoan version of Gulliver’s Travels, Leleisiu’ao explores a Pacific that wants to reflect the past while also ‘collecting’ the future. (Te Moananui a Kiwa, 2005)
