Shigeyuki Kihara

Shigeyuki (Yuki) Kihara is a contemporary artist and the first New Zealander to hold a solo exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Titled Shigeyuki Kihara: Living Photographs, the exhibition opened from 7 October 2008 to 1 February 2009. Kihara's self-portrait photographs in the exhibitions included nudes in provocative poses that portrayed colonial images of Polynesian women as sexual objects. Kihara is also a fa'afafine, the third gender of Samoa. Born in Samoa, Kihara's mother is Samoan and her father Japanese. Kihara immigrated to New Zealand at the age of sixteen to further her studies. She trained in fashion design at Wellington Polytech (now Massey University). In 1995, while still a student, Kihara's Graffiti Dress – Bombacific was purchased by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (Te Papa).

Exhibitions

Kihara has exhibited her work extensively in New Zealand and internationally with solo exhibitions including: Fa'a fafine: In a manner of a woman, Sherman Galleries, Sydney, 2005; Vavau: Tales of Ancient Samoa, The Gus Fisher Gallery, University of Auckland, 2006; Undressing the Pacific, Hocken Collections' art gallery, University of Otago, 2013; and A Study of a Samoan Savage at Te Uru Waitakere Contemporary Gallery, 2016.

Collections

Kihara's work can be found in the public collections of ; Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand; Auckland Art Gallery, New Zealand; The University of Auckland Art Collection, New Zealand; Massey University, New Zealand; Hocken Collections, Dunedin, New Zealand; Waikato Museum of Art and History, New Zealand; Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation, Sydney Australia; Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney Australia; Tjibaou Cultural Centre, New Caledonia; University of Cambridge Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, UK and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Performance Art

Kihara's solo performance entitled Taualuga; the last dance has been performed at the 4th Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Brisbane, Australia; Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin; Musée du Quai Branly, Paris; and Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth, New Zealand.

Awards

Shigeyuki Kihara was the recipient of the Creative New Zealand Emerging Pacific Artist Award in 2003. In 2007, she was also the first artist-in-residence at The Physics Rooms Art Residency in Christchurch. In 2012 she was awarded the Wallace Art Awards Paramount Award.

HIGEYUKI KIHARA Untitled (from the Black Sunday series), 2001

Shigeyuki Kihara (b. Samoa, 1975)
Gossip Sessions, 2002
Black Sunday series
C-print on dibond aluminum, 2008
Courtesy of Shigeyuki Kihara

Tasi ae afe

Shigeyuki Kihara (b. Samoa, 1975)
My Samoan Girl, 2004–05
Fa'a fafine: In a Manner of a Woman series
C-print, 2007
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Purchase, Evelyn A. J. Hall Charitable Trust and Stephanie H. Bernheim Gifts, 2007 (2007.356)

Shigeyuki Kihara (b. Samoa, 1975)
Taema ma tilafaiga: Goddess of Tatau, 2004
Vavau: Tales of Ancient Samoa series
C-print on dibond aluminum, 2008
Courtesy of artist Shigeyuki Kihara and photographer Sean Coyle

Siva-in-Motion-2013

Agelui Tausi Catholic Church After Cyclone Evan Mulivai Safata 2013

Taualuga: The Last Dance

Image caption: Shigeyuki Kihara, Roman Catholic Cathedral, Apia, 2013, C-type photograph. Hocken Collections, University of Otago, Dunedin. Image reproduced courtesy of Shigeyuki Kihara Studio and Milford Galleries Dunedin.

Taualuga: The Last Dance (2006) - Shigeyuki Kihara on Vimeo

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Shigeyuki Kihara (b. Samoa, 1975)
Sina ma tuna: Sina and Her Eel, 2003
Faleaitu: House of Spirits series
C-print on dibond aluminum, 2008
Courtesy of artist Shigeyuki Kihara and photographer Sean Coyle

Shigeyuki Kihara, Culture for sale, 2012. Live performance and exhibition commissioned by Campbelltown Arts Centre and 4a Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney, for Sydney Festival 2012. Courtesy of Shigeyuki Kihara, Campbelltown Arts Centre and 4a Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney. Photo: Susannah Wimberley

Distressed Maiden

Hide and seek & My lips are sealed

Maui Ti'eti'e Talaga-Maui and first fire of Samoa

Making Siva in Motion - Shigeyuki Kihara 2012 on Vimeo

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Yuki Kihara on Vimeo

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Talanoa: Walk the Talk VII / Shigeyuki Kihara - Shigeyuki Kihara

Tribute to Beatrice , 2001

screenprinted ink on canvas
510 x 910mm

Lalava Taupou , 2003

digital print and mixed media
395 x 295mm

Culture for Sale

Undressing the Pacific

TAMA SAMOA MA TEINE SAMOA: A MAN AND A WOMAN OF SAMOA 2004–05 C-type photograph, edition of 5, 80 x 60 cm photograph: coylehall post production: coylehall & Bronga Rhind Eglese courtesy the artist and Sherman Galleries, Sydney

Shigeyuki Kihara, Samoa/New Zealand b.1975 / Mau Headquarters, Vaimoso 2013 / C-print, ed 4/5 / Purchased 2015 with funds from Mary-Jeanne Hutchinson through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery / Image courtesy: Yuki Kihara Studio and Milford Galleries, Dunedin / © The artist

Shigeyuki Kihara, Samoa/New Zealand b.1975 / German Monument, Mulinu’u (from ‘Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?’ series) 2013 / C-print, ed 5/5 / Purchased 2015 with funds from Mary-Jeanne Hutchinson through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery / Image courtesy: Yuki Kihara Studio and Milford Galleries, Dunedin / © The artist

Shigeyuki Kihara, Aquatic Center, Tuanaimato, 2013. Courtesy of Shigeyuki Kihara Studio and Milford Galleries, Dunedin.

Shigeyuki Kihara, After Cyclone Evan, Lelata, 2013. Courtesy of Shigeyuki Kihara Studio and Milford Galleries, Dunedin.

Shigeyuki Kihara, After Tsunami Galu Afi, Lalomanu, 2013. Courtesy of Shigeyuki Kihara Studio and Milford Galleries, Dunedin.

"See no evil, speak no evil (diptych)" by Shigeyuki Kihara, part of "Somethin' Ain't Right: Uneasy Art from the Vault" at Waikato Museum November 2012 - 26