Michel Tuffery
Born
Michael Cliff Tuffery

(1966-05-27) 27 May 1966 (age 57)
Newlands, Wellington, New Zealand
NationalityNew Zealander
Education1980–85 ‘A’ Bursary, Newlands College, Wellington
Alma mater2014 Master of Fine Arts (Honorary), School of Fine Arts, Otago Polytechnic, Dunedin, | 1990 Mānoa School of Fine Arts, University of Hawaiʻi, United States 1986–89 Bachelor of Fine Arts Printmaking (Hons), School of Fine Arts, Otago Polytechnic
MovementContemporary art, abstract expressionism

Michael "Michel" Cliff Tuffery MNZM[1] (born 27 May 1966) is a New Zealand artist of Samoan, Tahitian and Cook Islands descent. He is one of New Zealand's most well known artists and his work is held in many art collections in New Zealand and around the world.[2]

Early life

His mother is Samoan Bula Tuffery (nee Paotonu) and his biological father was Cook Island Tahitian. His step father was Denis Tuffery, of European descent.[3]

He attended Newlands College in Wellington,[4] and has a Diploma in Fine Arts (Hons) from the School of Fine Arts at Otago Polytechnic (1989).

He lives and works in Wellington.

The sculpture Pisupo Lua Afe (Corned Beef 2000), by Michel Tuffery, 1994

Career

One of his distinctive sculptures from 1994 is the life-sized work, entitled Pisupo Lua Afe (Corned Beef 2000), which was constructed from flattened and riveted re-cycled corned beef tins. His work is shaped by his research into, and encounters with his Polynesian heritage while making use of Māori design. Many of his works explore colonialism and people's treatment of the environment. Renowned as a printmaker, painter and sculptor, Tuffery has gained national and international recognition, and has made a major contribution to New Zealand art.[citation needed]

In 1998, Ian George curated Paringa Ou, the first major exhibition of contemporary art by Cook Island artists residing in New Zealand featuring artists such as Ani O'Neill, Sylvia Marsters, Mahiriki Tangaroa, Michel Tuffery, Jim Vivieaere, Ian George, and Kay George, the exhibition travelled to the National Museum in Fiji, Cook Islands National Museum, as well as Gus Fisher Gallery in Auckland, New Zealand.[5] The exhibition was sponsored by the New Zealand High Commission.[6]

Awards

He was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to art, in the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honours.[7] In 2010 he was awarded the Contemporary Pacific Art Award at the Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifka Awards,[8] while in 2020 he received the Senior Pacific Artist Award from the same organisation.[9]

List of works and exhibitions

A large sculpture of spiky green shellfish sitting in the water, on the Wellington Waterfront.
"Nga Kina" by Tuffery on the Wellington waterfront
Memorial gateway to the RSA cemetery in Rarotonga, in the Cook Islands. Carved by Mike Tavioni and Michel Tuffery

Tuffery has exhibited extensively in New Zealand and internationally.[10]

References

  1. ^ "Queens Birthday Honours List 2008". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  2. ^ "Michel Tuffery - Arthouse". New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Michel Tuffery — News & Blogs". Te aka kumara. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Newlands' big-name artist gets to work". Scoop. 13 November 2009. Retrieved 13 November 2009.
  5. ^ "TeTuhi". tetuhi.art. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  6. ^ Stevenson, Karen. "Paringa Ou publication" (PDF). Te Tuhi. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2008". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 2 June 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  8. ^ "Arts Pasifika Awards". Creative New Zealand. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  9. ^ Chumko, Andre (18 December 2020). "Michel Tuffery on Pacific art and fulfilling his ancestors' dreams". Stuff. Archived from the original on 20 December 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  10. ^ Chiu, Melissa; Mason, Ngahiraka; Stevenson, Karen; Vercoe, Caroline (2004). Paradise Now? Contemporary Art from the Pacific. David Bateman Ltd. p. 99. ISBN 1-86953-584-7.
  11. ^ Cardy, Tom. "The pick of Anzac cultural events". www.stuff.co.nz. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  12. ^ "Made in Oceania". Australia National University. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  13. ^ "VOLTA NY 2012 - Announcements - e-flux". www.e-flux.com. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  14. ^ "First Contact". New Zealand International Art Festival. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  15. ^ Brian, Roche (2012). 50 Years of Friendship: New Zealand & Samoa. Certificate of authenticity. New Zealand Post and Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
  16. ^ Mallon, Sean; Pereira, Pandora Fulimalo (2002). Pacific Art Niu Sila. Te Papa Press. ISBN 0-909010-83-8.
  17. ^ "Bottled Ocean". Wellington City Gallery. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  18. ^ Mallon, Sean; Pereira, Pandora Fulimalo (2002). Pacific Art Niu Sila. Te Papa Press. ISBN 0-909010-83-8.

External links

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