Exhibition Opening: The Strength of Skilled Hands | Group

The Strength of Skilled Hands is a collaborative exhibition by three Pacific artists from Tāmaki Makaurau; Ofa Filoialii, Genevieve Pini, and Ioana Schwalger. Through their use of various mediums such as textiles, printmaking, painting, and photography, these artists explore the process of creating art, drawing from the skills passed down through generations.
With hands that receive the techniques and wisdom of their ancestors, and influenced by their personal journeys, these artists blend influences from their families, environment, and culture.
Guided by their Christian faith and their Pacific lineage, the artists work with traditional materials and ideas, while incorporating contemporary Western techniques, forms, and materials. In doing so, they create a fusion that bridges cultural traditions and recognise a continuum of past, present, and future.
The Strength of Skilled Hands unites contemporary materials and techniques with rich cultural traditions, come and explore the transformative journey of self-discovery, celebrating the past, present, and future.
Image: Genevieve Pini - Telesia Pini / Miss Pini (archival image of artist's mother), 2023