Telly Tuita delves into his complex relationship with his ancestral home through vibrant hues, traditional Tongan ngatu patterns, and religious iconography, coined as ‘Tongpop.’ Tuita challenges idealised notions of the Pacific Islands and cultural identity. His work is a collision of Indigenous and pop sensibilities, where traditional grounded oral cultures dance with global mass media.

Main image: Telly Tuita, Diaspora’s Children – Red Mask Dancing, 2022
Image carousel: Telly Tuita, Diaspora’s Children – Yellow Mask Dancing, 2022 (detail);