Pylon patch

This embroidered patch is based on a series of paintings made by South Auckland-based artist-curator, Ema Tavola. It was produced in a limited edition (100) for the opening of Vunilagi Vou in 19.

The names ‘Manukau City’ and ‘South Auckland’ refer to two geographic references for the same place, a region where electrical power pylons are abundantly visible as part of the urban skyline. For Tavola, the pylons are symbolic of social and political power and reference the environment that has become a cultural epicentre for the Pacific Islander diaspora in Aotearoa. Pylon painting on Fijian virgin barkcloth by Ema Tavola ( 06), private collection.