Massey University and National Library partner to support emerging Pacific artists

We've partnered with the National Library of New Zealand to develop a pilot Pasifika Arts Residency. The residency grants a graduate student of Pacific descent free access to the Pacific archives at National Library for a full business week.

2018 design graduate Lili Lovell-Wood was the inaugural artist and worked and researched in the Library in June.

Lili is a designer working in Wellington’s film industry. Her work ranges from print, to motion graphics and art direction with a few photographs thrown in, both digital and 35mm.

Her 2018 project Origins of Taboo was an exploration of ancient Pacific rituals and their modern counterparts, depicting the interconnection and diversity of three Pacific cultures: Māori, Tongan and Hawaiian.

“Origins of Taboo is a representation of the strength Pacific culture has within the English language and is also a chance to represent a part of my own kanaka [native Hawaiian] heritage within my practice as a young New Zealand designer,” she says.

“Spending time with the Pacific Collections at the National Library and Alexander Turnbull Library is an amazing chance to explore the interconnectedness and diversity of our incredible Pacific cultures, which will no doubt influence my practice.”