Telly Bronson Tuita (born 1980, Tonga) is an Australian and New Zealand interdisciplinary artist of Tongan descent notable for 2020 Molly Morpeth Canaday award for the work ''Three Graces – U'ufoasini, Akale'a, Ta'alea'' creating. Later in 2021 becoming a finalist for the National Contemporary Art Award for work ''Diasporas Children'' Wellington. Also notable for the creator of the fictional word 'Tongpop' defined as a combination of Tuita's adoration for dazzling, distinct hues and traditional 'Tongan ngatu patterns and religious iconography.'

Biography

Telly Tuita was born in 1980 in Tonga. At age nine, he migrated to

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, living in Australia for most of his life, now currently located in Wellington New Zealand. 1999–2003 Tuita studied and completed a Bachelor of Fine Art at Western Sydney University before going to the University of New South Wales to pursue a Bachelor of Art Education in 2004. Later in 2011, he completed a Master's in Special Education with the University of Sydney. Tuita worked at Green Square School primary school and community centre from 2015 to 2017 as a High School art teacher, a Special Education teacher, and an Assistant Principal. Telly Tuita delves into his cultural identity through nostalgia, which is shaped by his childhood relocation from Tonga. Tuita developed Tongpop, a distinct visual language, as a result of his exploration of his ethnic identity and complex relationship with his ancestral land. After the destructive Tonga tsunami in 2022 New Zealand based Tongan artists established an online art project named ''Peau Kula,'' to fundraise. Tuita along with other artists such as

Sione Monū Sione Tuívailala Monū (born 1993 Auckland, New Zealand) is an Australian and New Zealand interdisciplinary artist of Tongan descent notable for their use of beads and flowers. Biography Monū grew up around Australia, as their father's job w ...

and

Dagmar Dyck Dagmar Vaikalafi Dyck (born 1972) is a New Zealand artist of Tongan and German descent. Dyck's prints and paintings are often inspired by her cultural heritage and explore textile practices of Tonga. In 2012, Dyck was co-curator of ''No'o fakat ...

donated works to this cause. Peau Kula is a Tongan name that refers to the ferocity and power of a wave as expressed in red, also acknowledging Tongan enriched history with volcanic eruptions and the experience of the Peau kula. Tuita's Inaugural solo exhibition ''Tongpop Nostalgia'' was a pivotal point in his career. Tuita ran a crowd funding campaign to allow the work to be presented in Ōtautahi. In 2021-Tuita’s work ''Diasporas Children'' was part of a Wellington City Council the Creative Hoardings pilot programme. Creative Hoardings have been developed in response to a growing number of construction sites around Wellington. Hoardings consist of plywood panels and simple framing structures and surround construction sites as temporary safety walls. In 2024, Tuita returned to Campbelltown to have a solo exhibition where he grew up, called ''Tongpop's Great Expectations'' in

Campbelltown Arts Centre Campbelltown Arts Centre (C-A-C or CAC) is a multidisciplinary contemporary arts centre located in Campbelltown, New South Wales, south west of Sydney, Australia. It is a cultural facility of Campbelltown City Council, assisted by other governm ...

Awards

*2021 – Finalist for the 2021 National Contemporary Art Award for work ''Diasporas Children,'' Waikato Museum. *2020 – Molly Morpeth Canaday Award (Arts Whakatāne Highly Commended Award.) *2019 – Wintec Merit Award, Wintec.

Residencies

*2023 – Poison Creek Sculpture Project Artist Residency, Wellington, New Zealand.

Selected solo exhibitions

*2024 – ''Tongpop's Great Expectations'',

, Campbelltown, Australia *2023 – ''Tongpop Pantheon'', Core Program Outdoor - Australian Premiere, Ballarat International Foto Biennale,

Ballarat Ballarat ( ) is a city in the Central Highlands (Victoria), Central Highlands of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Census, Ballarat had a population of 116,201, making it the third largest city in Victoria. Estimated resid ...

, Victoria, Australia *2023 – ''Tongpop to Britomart'', Britomart Precinct, Auckland, New Zealand *2023 – ''The Immortal Tango Of Love And War'', Aotearoa Art Fair, Auckland, New Zealand *2022 – ''Tongpop Cornucopia''. Bergman Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand *2020 – ''Tongpop He-Story'', Precinct35, Kaukau, Wellington, New Zealand *2020 – ''Tongpop Nostalgia.'' CoCA – Centre of Contemporary Art Toi Moroki, Christchurch, New Zealand *2020 – ''TongPop Herstory.'' Weasel Gallery,

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

, New Zealand *2020 – ''Tongpop Fetish''. Objectspace, Auckland, New Zealand *2018 – ''Tongpop Souvenir'', Precinct35, Wellington, New Zealand

Selected group exhibitions

*2023 – ''Tukufakaholo - Tongan Contemporary''. Bergman Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand *2022 – ''Te Atuitanga Beneath Our Cloak of Stars''. Bergman Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand *2022 – ''Whetūrangitia/Made As Stars.''

The Dowse Art Museum The Dowse Art Museum is a municipal art gallery in Lower Hutt, New Zealand. Opening in 1971 in the Lower Hutt CBD, The Dowse occupies a stand-alone building adjacent to other municipal facilities. The building was completely remodelled in 2 ...

, Wellington, New Zealand *2021 – ''Mānawatia Takatāpui / Defending Plurality'', Tauranga Art Gallery, Tauranga, New Zealand *2020–2021 – ''SALTWATER/Interconnectivity.'' TAUTAI, Auckland, New Zealand

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tuita, Telly Australian artists 1980 births Living people New Zealand artists Tongan artists