Latai Taumoepeau is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice fuses ancient and everyday temporal practice using mediums like performance, dance, installation and social engagement. 

Her faivā (body-centred practice) is grounded in the traditions of her homelands, the Island Kingdom of Tonga and her birthplace Sydney, land of the Gadigal people. 

Latai joins us to discuss her work over the past decade exploring the impact of climate change in the Pacific and the threat of dispossession that many island communities face.

Latai was a leading artist on Arts House Melbourne’s five-year project, Refuge, an exploration of community preparedness in emergency management. She shares her insights on that process and how her collaboration with the SES on that project has continued to evolve.

Latai was recently awarded Creative Australia’s 2023 Award for Emerging and Experimental Arts and reflects on the meaning of that acknowledgement and some of the questions contemporary artists face surrounding the relevance and sustainability of their work. 

Links

ABC Arts Week - Latai Taumoepeau: Creative Australia Award for Emerging and Experimental Arts 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKfKmtcergA 

Artist Profile / Repatriate at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13K2Gr-Od8w&t=9s 

Mass Movement, Refuge, Arts House Melbourne

https://www.artshouse.com.au/events/mass-movement/ 

Mass Movement, Documentary Short Film, Refuge 2021, Arts House 

https://www.artshouse.com.au/events/mass-movement-documentary-short-film/ 

The Last Resort: Biennale of Sydney

https://www.biennaleofsydney.art/participants/latai-taumoepeau/ 

Follow Latai on instagram

https://www.instagram.com/latai101/?hl=en 

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