An artist of Japanese and Sāmoan descent, Yuki Kihara finds inspiration from being based in Sāmoa for over a decade. She’s the first New Zealander to have held a solo show at The Met in New York. In 2022 she will represent Aotearoa New Zealand at the 59th Venice Biennale, with a focus on untold stories from an Indigenous perspective.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

I work between the visual arts, dance and curatorial practice. I’m primarily known for using photography and video that sheds light on often untold marginalised narratives from an Indigenous perspective. Most recently I presented at Pātaka Museum in Pōneke Wellington a series of textile sculptures addressing the notion of man-made borders, bringing together the textile traditions of Asia and the Pacific.

Agelu i tausi Catholic Church after after Cylone Evan, Mulivai Safata (2013) by Yuki Kihara. Photo: Courtesy of Yuki Kihara and Milford Galleries Dunedin — *Agelu i tausi Catholic Church after after Cylone Evan, Mulivai Safata* (2013) by Yuki Kihara. *Photo: Courtesy of Yuki Kihara and Milford Galleries Dunedin*

CHANCE ENCOUNTERS & SERENDIPITY?

My mother is Sāmoan from the villages of Fatoia, Sinamoga and Lauli’i Tuai. My Japanese father is from Ōsaka, and I’m the eldest of three siblings. I was brought up in a trilingual household speaking Sāmoan, Japanese and English which was reflected in the fusion cuisine my mother would prepare for our family. As a child brought up in Sāmoa, song and dance was a daily part of our lives, so that also feeds into the performative nature of my work. Much of my work is informed by my former training as a fashion designer where I freelanced in costume design, as a wardrobe manager and stylist for fashion, film, television, performing arts and publishing.

YOUR STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES?

My work is deeply personal, reflective of my experience as a person of colour and Fa’afafine/Third gender. I make art to confront and overcome my insecurities, to decolonise from the Whiteness and Heteronormativity that’s pervasive in the creative industries that recycle and perpetuate these false values onto society. COVID-19 and the global lockdowns has exposed the disparity in race, gender, sexuality, ability and class – and how they intersect and compound each other to further marginalise minorities in our society.

Whakatū Freezing Works, Heretaunga (2017) by Yuki Kihara. Photo: Courtesy of Yuki Kihara and Milford Galleries Dunedin — *Whakatū Freezing Works, Heretaunga* (2017) by Yuki Kihara. *Photo: Courtesy of Yuki Kihara and Milford Galleries Dunedin*

HOW DO YOU FIND YOUR CLIENTS? DO THEY FIND YOU?

I’m often surprised by how international curators, writers, scholars and researchers find me, especially when I didn’t have my own personal website for so many years. But, I have a Aotearoa-based gallerist who looks after all my work inquiries. This frees me up and allows me to delve into research and the production of my works and projects.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE?

I’ve been living and working in and from Sāmoa for the past 11 years. I made the decision to move back home (from Aotearoa) primarily because I wanted to be closer to my family. At first I wasn’t sure how this would go down, as it took me almost two years to settle back into the rhythm of things on the island after having lived in a diaspora in Aotearoa for over a decade.

“I make art to decolonise from the Whiteness and Heteronormativity...”

Nose Width with Vernier Caliper (2016) by Yuki Kihara. Photo: Courtesy of Yuki Kihara and Milford Galleries Dunedin — *Nose Width with Vernier Caliper* (2016) by Yuki Kihara. *Photo: Courtesy of Yuki Kihara and Milford Galleries Dunedin*

Bicep with Skinfold Caliper (2016) by Yuki Kihara. Photo: Courtesy of Yuki Kihara and Milford Galleries Dunedin — Bicep with Skinfold Caliper (2016) by Yuki Kihara. *Photo: Courtesy of Yuki Kihara and Milford Galleries Dunedin*

“I make art to confront and overcome my insecurities.”

WHAT FUELS YOU?

Part of the reason I’ve been fortunate to keep practising as an artist for over two decades is due to my island upbringing. Sustainability has always been part of Sāmoan culture, especially living on an Island with limited resources. You learn how to use things for more than one purpose and always look for ways to cut corners to achieve the best result, which is very similar to how many artists are working in the creative industry. When I was in New York* couple of years ago I met an artist who told me that I had to move to New York to become internationally successful. Obviously, the artist in question had different values from my own, busy chasing the limelight of the art world. I’m more concerned about how my work can inform and empower the Sāmoan and wider Pacific community who are my primary audience.

*In 2008, Yuki Kihara became the first New Zealander to have a solo exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) in New York.

Part of Phase 1 entitled Vasa (Ocean) from ʻサ-モアのうた (Sāmoa no uta) Sāmoa no uta (A Song About Sāmoa)ʻ [2019] series by Yuki Kihara. Photo: Glenn Frei, courtesy of Yuki Kihara and Milford Galleries Dunedin — Part of Phase 1 entitled *Vasa (Ocean)* from ʻサ-モアのうた *(Sāmoa no uta) Sāmoa no uta (A Song About Sāmoa)ʻ* [2019] series by Yuki Kihara. *Photo: Glenn Frei, courtesy of Yuki Kihara and Milford Galleries Dunedin*

GAME-CHANGER MOMENT?

I knew I wanted to show my work at the Venice Biennale after having visited it twice, but my proposal to represent the Aotearoa NZ Pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale was five years in the making. Previously I’d worked with different curators at two different times, but we never were able to complete it in time for the submission date. So by the time Melbourne-based curator Natalie King approached me to be my curator for the 59th Venice Biennale, I flat-out declined her at first. I was bitter that the same scenario was going to repeat itself. But thank god Natalie persisted. Together we were able to submit a comprehensive proposal, with 11 letters of support from our mutual networks, that was accepted by the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa – the national arts development agency of the New Zealand Government.

“Everyone should make a vision board, it’s working for me.”

Phase 1 entitled Vasa (Ocean) from ʻサ-モアのうた (Sāmoa no uta) Sāmoa no uta (A Song About Sāmoa)ʻ [2019] series by Yuki Kihara. Photo: Glenn Frei, courtesy of Yuki Kihara and Milford Galleries Dunedin — Phase 1 entitled *Vasa (Ocean)* from ʻサ-モアのうた *(Sāmoa no uta) Sāmoa no uta (A Song About Sāmoa)ʻ* [2019] series by Yuki Kihara. *Photo: Glenn Frei, courtesy of Yuki Kihara and Milford Galleries Dunedin*

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?

In the early 2000s I was watching Oprah and she introduced me to the concept of a ‘vision board’. At that time I was broke and on welfare with just five dollars to my name. Now I’m using this vision board to create more ambitious works that push my limits. Everyone should make a vision board as it’s working for me!

HOW DO YOU STAY FOCUSED?

Being an artist for me is not a job but a passion. I’m always inquisitive about things that drive my creativity and the research that goes in myriad directions. I’ve learnt to separate the emotional and intellectual reception of a work before merging them into a puzzle and then presenting as a unified work. I also support the work with an artist’s statement and research to help strengthen the concept.

Yuki Kihara with her work at Pātaka Art + Museum. Photo: Sarah Hunter, courtesy of Yuki Kihara and Milford Galleries Dunedin — Yuki Kihara with her work at Pātaka Art + Museum. *Photo: Sarah Hunter, courtesy of Yuki Kihara and Milford Galleries Dunedin*

“I want to create more ambitious works that push my limits.”

THE ROLE OF RISK?

In my mind I have many ideas for works, but the ones that most attract me are the ones that make me anxious because they challenge me the most.

HOW DO YOU PUSH THROUGH DIFFICULTIES?

I’m my worst critic when it comes to my own work. I often hate showing up to my exhibitions because of regret that I could have done better. Now I make notes on how to improve things, from the research methodology, dynamics of the production team and even gathering trusted colleagues to critique my work. Talking to collectors of my work also helps me understand what they see in my work that resonates with them.

Kamau Taurua Quarantine Island (2021) by Yuki Kihara. Photo: Courtesy of Yuki Kihara and Milford Galleries Dunedin — *Kamau Taurua Quarantine Island* (2021) by Yuki Kihara. *Photo: Courtesy of Yuki Kihara and Milford Galleries Dunedin*

WHERE TO FROM HERE?

I’m preparing for my solo presentation at the Venice Biennale 2022, but unfortunately, I’m not allowed to discuss the work as its top secret! I have a new body of work Quarantine Islands (2021) that will be exhibited at the Milford Galleries, Queenstown. It’s a photographic series exploring small islands scattered across Aotearoa formally designated as a quarantine facility, and what wisdom it may offer, post pandemic. I’m also curating a solo exhibition of Canberra-based Banaban scholar and artist Katerina Teaiwa, entitled Project Banaba, at Te Uru Waitakere Contemporary Gallery in Tāmaki Auckland, opening December 2021. It’s a multimedia exhibition, first commissioned by Carriageworks in Sydney in 2017. It follows the path of phosphate mining histories, archives and communities that were impacted by colonial resource exploitation.

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