Artist: Michel Tuffery (1966-)
Title: “Tigiaina”
Date: 1988
School: New Zealand/Samoan/Cook Islands Māori/Tahitian
Medium: hand-coloured woodcut on tapa cloth
Dimensions: 765 x 540mm (image and sheet)
Watermark: none
Inscriptions/marks: On the support in pencil lower left to lower right <<24/25 …. “Tigiaina”. Michel Tuffery 88>>
Condition: fine impression on tapa cloth float-mounted on tapa cloth, glazed and framed
Description: Self-portrait of the artist as a crucified Christ with traditional Samoan/Cook Islands Māori/Tahitian motifs. The inscribed title altered throughout the print run. The Te Papa impression is inscribed “Tianigi”, the impression in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery is catalogued under the title “Tigaina”. In a post on Facebook on 15 August 2018 Tuffery wrote, Special artwork to me, Tianigi hmmmm my bad translation as I’ve never been good at spelling, but have authentically stayed with the title applied regardless – should read ‘tagi’ Samoan for ‘crying’. Created from research in Samoa during the mid 80’s interviewing my good friend Su’a Sulu’ape Alaiva’a Petelo during one of his Tatau sessions in Apia, where I witnessed one of the young men crying though the process.
Provenance: Webb’s, 30/05/21 lot 296
