Paradise

Ashleigh Taupaki’s “Paradise” links the ideas of paradise with Return to Paradise Beach in Samoa, with alternating panels bear text and images. The texts are like diary entries commenting on her grandmothers’ everyday interests and activities. These recalled events are slowly weathering from wind and sun and the words  are fading as though her recollection are being lost. The work cleverly generally brings together oral traditions, mythologies  and memories.

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The artist has also made simple paintings of Samoan plants which her grandmother has described to her. These rudimentary botanical images are like childlike descriptions of the natural world capturing the essence if not the detail.