Mavae Moeliku Manuika
Mavae is a Tongan/Samoan born in American Samoa (1998)
painting, printmaking and visual artist based in Auckland, New Zealand.
He's initially gained interest in painting and printmaking since he was six year old in Tonga, where his grandparent was well knowing tradition art-making. Mavae was lucky enough to get that experience of learning about the importance of tradition making from his grandparent, for instance Ngatu (tapa cloth), Ta Tongitongi (wood carving), Fans, bags and much more.
Lesson that he will never forget and to keep on developing new ideas to show different ways to represent his culture.
Now he is mixing and exploring around different material that is meaningful to him, to be able to use his works as encouragement and inspiration to the world.