Tui Emma Gillies
Sulieti Fieme’a Burrows
Tui Emma Gillies & Sulieti Fieme’a Burrows
PROJECT
Mother-and-daughter duo Sulieti Fieme’a Burrows and Tui Emma Gillies reimagine Leonardo da Vinci’s The last supper in this large-scale ngatu (Tongan barkcloth). Women gather to share story and space, with the dinner table positioned as a site for knowledge exchange across generations. While traditional ngatu tend towards a restrained palette of naturally sourced brown and black hues, The last kai incorporates the duo’s now signature multicolour palette. Additionally, century-old kupesi patterns frame the work and adorn each figure’s colour-filled robes. Staged in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, The last kai reflects on proximity, exploring what it means to connect, share kai (food) and knowledge, and to just be together.
The acquisition of this artist’s work is supported by Trawalla Foundation
ABOUT
Sulieti Fieme’a Burrows and her daughter Tui Emma Gillies are Tongan/New Zealander artistic collaborators. Burrows and Gillies work with traditional techniques to hand-make ngatu (or feta’aki), undecorated tapa cloth. Often deviating from standard patterns like geometric grids and floral motifs, their designs explore themes of femininity, nurturing, protection and spirituality. The duo has taught, exhibited and sold their art to museums and private collections around the world and were the recipients of the 2018 Creative New Zealand Heritage Arts Award. In 2020 Burrows was awarded a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her efforts in revitalising Tongan art and education.