Youngsolwara Artists Camp: 23 -29, June 2018
As part of the Youngsolwara action statement of May 2017, it was declared by its membership that the movement would commit to oceans as a regional agenda that impacts the self-determination of our region. Youngsolwara recognizes that is our ocean that unites us as Pacific peoples, and as ocean guardians:
We stand in solidarity with nuclear affected peoples of Oceania.
We stand united with the people of West Papua recognizing their struggle is our struggle and their liberation is our liberation.
WE stand against the on-going militarization, genocide and the colonization of the people of Oceania.
We oppose the extractive industries especially seabed mining and the experimental sciences thereof.
In 2018, PANG and Oceania Center for Pacific Studies (USP) co-sponsored a Youngsolwara Artists Camp. Papua Niue Guinea artists Jeffry Feeger and Kanaka Maoli artist, Joy Enomoto were invited to work with Youngsolwara artists and curate a closing exhibition for the artists’ camp. The artist camp was designed to explore creative expressions and discourse around oceans as a highly contested space. Political education workshops facilitated by Lice Cokanasiga, Lagi Toribau, Brooke Takala, Tekura Moekaʻa, and Joey Tau addressed the powerful forces that physically control both territories and their resources, as well as engaged in the philosophical underpinnings of the ocean as one of our most powerful metaphors of response to transgressions that pierce the heart of our identity and diversity as oceans people. This camp also shared artistic skills and knowledge among young and aspiring Pacific artists using new media platforms.
The art produced from this art camp was shared at the exhibition Mai Em(Ocean) in Suva and then traveled to Honiara, Solomon Islands as part of a local exhibition and art talk with artists from the Solomon Islands during the 6th Melanesian Arts Festival (1 -14, July 2020).
As part of the Youngsolwara action statement of May 2017, it was declared by its membership that the movement would commit to oceans as a regional agenda that impacts the self-determination of our region. Youngsolwara recognizes that is our ocean that unites us as Pacific peoples, and as ocean guardians:
We stand in solidarity with nuclear affected peoples of Oceania.
We stand united with the people of West Papua recognizing their struggle is our struggle and their liberation is our liberation.
WE stand against the on-going militarization, genocide and the colonization of the people of Oceania.
We oppose the extractive industries especially seabed mining and the experimental sciences thereof.
In 2018, PANG and Oceania Center for Pacific Studies (USP) co-sponsored a Youngsolwara Artists Camp. Papua Niue Guinea artists Jeffry Feeger and Kanaka Maoli artist, Joy Enomoto were invited to work with Youngsolwara artists and curate a closing exhibition for the artists’ camp. The artist camp was designed to explore creative expressions and discourse around oceans as a highly contested space. Political education workshops facilitated by Lice Cokanasiga, Lagi Toribau, Brooke Takala, Tekura Moekaʻa, and Joey Tau addressed the powerful forces that physically control both territories and their resources, as well as engaged in the philosophical underpinnings of the ocean as one of our most powerful metaphors of response to transgressions that pierce the heart of our identity and diversity as oceans people. This camp also shared artistic skills and knowledge among young and aspiring Pacific artists using new media platforms.
The art produced from this art camp was shared at the exhibition Mai Em(Ocean) in Suva and then traveled to Honiara, Solomon Islands as part of a local exhibition and art talk with artists from the Solomon Islands during the 6th Melanesian Arts Festival (1 -14, July 2020).
