Episode 23: An interview with Lisa Reihana

“I wanted to be very ambitious at a time when it looked like the economy was collapsing”. In this pod Lisa Reihana discusses her installation in Pursuit of Venus (infected) at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki. Based on 19th century wallpaper, Reihana’s scrolling video installation addresses a moment of early colonial contact between European and South Pacific peoples. Part 1 (0-8.22) The genesis of the project, links between the historical figures depicted and contemporary culture, and the critical nuances in the work. The making of another video Tai Whetuki/House of Death as a means to work through historical events. Part 2 (8.30-15.00) Technical challenges and ethical conundrums. Lisa concludes by talking about her digital stills of Captain Cook, Joseph Banks, Omai and Tupaia at the National Portrait Gallery, the revisiting of historical figures and play with gender. “It’s all about representation and ways of looking”.