Veipa ‘o e ‘Aati

‘Veipā ‘o e ‘Āati (Dissonance of Art)’ is an exploration of the current dynamic existing between customary and contemporary Pacific art. Navigating cultural standpoints that often contradict one another, it becomes hard to discern the role of cultural practices once they’re removed from their initial context. Has customary art become purely a form of revalidating cultural identity, or do it and its practitioners continue to find new meaning? Is the same held for the contemporary space or are artists inappropriately breaking protocol? Through a series of visual responses and interviews with active practitioners, this publication is a personal attempt to understand the wider context and nuances affecting this complex relationship.