INTERVIEW Christy Quilliam
PORTRAIT David K Shields
NEPHI TUPAEA (Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Tiipa, Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, Ngāti Kahungunu) has long been a powerful presence in Aotearoa’s creative landscape — from her early involvement with the ground-breaking performance collective THE PACIFIC SISTERS, to her recent return home and rise as a visual artist in her own right.
Welcome Home, Kare 2025
Before The Rapture 2024
Since re-establishing her practice in Aotearoa New Zealand the artist’s work has resonated strongly with collectors; her debut solo exhibition at Tim Melville Gallery sold out on opening night and her works at the 2025 Aotearoa Art Fair had all found homes within three hours.
Mother’s Milk 2024
Third Gender 2024
With two sold-out shows and a growing circle of recognition, Tupaea stands at a powerful intersection of past and future; Somewhere the promise of what’s to come feels as expansive and grounded as the journey that brought her here.
Taonga 2025
Te Tiriti 2025
The role of traditional Māori values which have evolved in today’s world, ‘Whakataukī’, are designed to impart lessons, principles, or underlying meanings. They are essentially a concise way to convey wisdom and values.
Tangihanga 2025
Next Gen 2025
NEPHI’S work pulses with ancestral memory, personal truth, and a fearless sense of identity — as she continues to deepen her practice, re-engaging with whakapapa and her whānau is not only fuelling her creative fire, but anchoring it. Follow the link below to hear in her own words all that has brought her to this moment, as she speaks with gallerist, and friend, Tim Melville at her artist talk during the 2025 Aotearoa Art Fair.
Mokopuna 2025
Ko Wai Koe? 2025
NEPHI TUPAEA IS REPRESENTED BY TIM MELVILLE GALLERY : TIMMELVILLE.COM
Featured in It’s Interval RESOLVE – view full story and more from this issue!