Filipe Tohi

Tongan sculptor Filipe Tohi moved to Aotearoa in 1978 and is known for distinctive public works and exhibitions across Aotearoa New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region. He is a specialist in the traditional Tongan cultural practice of lalava, a form of binding or lashing using coconut sennit, that he often translates to contemporary materials such as metal. This work, Makato'a, is from the Karen Stevenson collection recently given to the Gallery. It is a reminder of the close relationship between the artist and art historian, developed through the many interviews Stevenson undertook when writing a book on his work in 2015: Filipe Tohi: Journey to the Present: Makahoko Mei.

(Living Archives, 25 October 2025 – 8 March 2026)