okaioceanikart gallery promoting works by emerging and established Artists from the Pacific
Our Story
Welcome to okaioceanikart - say it: "o kai ocean i kart"
okaioceanikart – a niu space
connecting with the spirituality of Pacific peoples
honouring the spirit of the artist
Established in 2006 by Marilyn Kohlhase and Bridget Marsh " to create a different art dealership that honours a Pacific way of being; connected, meaning creators."
our purpose is:
communities finding their voice and speaking their truths
communities finding the creative force in their lives
selling the work of Pacific artists
artistic voices creating meaning
okaioceanikart community -
artists are enabled to pursue life as an artist
we gather and create gatherings
mentoring and nurturing are integral to each day
patrons and visitors find connections to the spirit of art
the soul/ spirit of people is honoured
artists’ voices are heard
Why have we created our gallery the way it is?
Over the years of working in the arts Marilyn and I independently observed the struggle of artists especially 'emerging' artists (i.e. those whose work has not yet reached a secondary market where the value of their work is set by the market rather than the dealers or artists themselves) and in June 2005 began talking together about a gallery - encouraged by the Patron of Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust, Papalii Fatu Feu'u ONZM.
What we noted in particular was that there were some significant gaps in the infrastructure for artists moving from an emerging status to an established status and that for many the gulf is too great. And of course we saw that there was no-one taking up the challenge of a gallery devoted to art by Pacific people. Both Marilyn and I for different reasons have a deep concern for the economic, social and spiritual well-being of Pacific people.
After a year of discussion a vision began to emerge. A vision of a Contemporary Pacific Art Gallery solely representing Art by Pacific people, where established and emerging artists are shown side by side. This seemed a possible way to bridge the gap. So we took up the challenge and started the journey that is okaioceanikart.
We are creating a gallery where honouring and supporting talented artists from around the Pacific is a priority, a warm place where first steps can be taken in what is a hard world. We also want to create a space where everyone feels welcome; growing a new audience for the artwork and artists. An audience interested in making connections and discovering the stories and meaning.
We are challenging ourselves to create a niu model for serious mentoring and nurturing of emerging talent , where emerging artists can be seen by a wider audience than would come to a show of their work, where the financial and other pressures of a traditional show are not a block and even for established artists – a gallery where their work is exposed to a different audience and continually available for view and purchase. We are committed to finding a global audience for contemporary Pacific art and launching our website is part of the journey.
In August 2006 we talked with Barbara Holloway from the Karangahape Rd Business Association who introduced us to the Langham Hotel Auckland and facilitated our location here in their Mall. The Langham Hotel, Auckland has been very supportive and have become our Patron. Their Patronage is supporting us in many ways – we have works on the walls in lift lobbies, marketing collateral in the guest rooms and a project to put contemporary Pacific art in the staff dinning room.
Of course we are not the only gallery representing Pacific artists in the Auckland region – “Fresh” gallery in Otara run by Ema Tavola has encouraged us and been instrumental in artists finding their way to us.
And okaioceanikart would not be possible without the work of Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust. This trust planted the seed in NZ for contemporary Pacific artists to develop as a category of art, we acknowledge the territory they carved out. That seed is now a forest.
Our Pacific artists are pleased to be part of okaioceanikart and we are excited that we have 18 established and 34 emerging artists work in okaioceanikart today.
Our team now includes Jennifer Fuemana (Niue) in the role of relationship manager and Nina Tonga (Tonga)in the role of curator. They both know our artists and their work and can help you become familiar with this exciting field of contemporary visual art.
Together we are here to provide that niu space for artists.
And finally okaioceanikart? ok = Ok, Kai is the Maori word for food, food for the body the mind and the spirit, kairos alluding to the Greek concept of spiritual/spatial time, oceanic for the region we represent, kart for internet shopping and art for arts sake. There you have what we are.
In the next few weeks we will make it possible to buy the artwork on line. Til then that's our story.
