‘Tala o le tau: stories from the weather’ (2025) by yuki kihara
Artist Statement
“A logo tai ua logo uta (when it is felt toward the sea, it is felt toward the land”
My most recent body of work entitled ‘Tala o le tau: stories from the weather’ (2025) features a series of pandanus mats embroidered with images inspired by infrared satellite images of cyclones.
The embroidered mats depicts cyclones that have directly and indirectly impacted the Sāmoan archipelago over the past two decades. The works are produced with the assistance of the Moata’a Aualuma community based on Upolu Island, in the Independent State of Sāmoa. The embroidered mats are also known as fala su’i in Sāmoa. Fala su'i are gifts exchanged during ceremonies, funerals, and other special occasions.
The colours of the embroidery reflect the cloud-top temperatures of cyclones. The colours are arranged counterintuitively, with blue being the warmest, red being the coolest, and black being the coldest. Cloud-top temperatures are often cold when thunderstorms occur. The eyewall of a cyclone is typically chilly, while the edges are usually warmer. Wind speeds are also correlated with colour, along with shape. Black and red clouds indicate cold and deep convection, which can provide clues about the cyclone's convection health. As a result, these colours indicate more intense thunderstorms in recent years. As cyclones migrate from sea to land (also known as landfall), their windspeed decreases, but turbulence increases, causing landslides and flooding in vulnerable areas. Climate change is intensifying cyclones, with strong winds and more rainfall. Cyclones are fuelled by warm, moist air provided by rising ocean temperatures.
After personally witnessing the devastating impacts of cyclones in Sāmoa, I was compelled to create works that not only allude to our resilience living in the Pacific Islands but also inspire conversations about global warming as a clarion call for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
— Yuki Kihara
Exhibition Dates
‘Tala o le tau: Stories from the weather’ by Yuki Kihara
Supported by Gus Fisher Gallery | Te Whare Toi o Gus Fisher and Creative New Zealand
Gus Fisher Gallery | Te Whare Toi o Gus Fisher
6 June –30 August 2025
Aotearoa New Zealand
https://gusfishergallery.auckland.ac.nz/
‘This Must Be the Place’
Gow Langsford Gallery
Aotearoa New Zealand
2 - 26 July 2025
https://gowlangsfordgallery.co.nz
