Mangēre Bridge

Mangēre Bridge

Sione Monu, 2020
Single-channel HD digital video, colour, sound, duration 3 min 55 sec
Courtesy of the artist

Sione Monu is usually based in Canberra, Australia but after a round trip to Tonga, as part of a Christchurch Art Gallery / Creative New Zealand funded project due to have opened on 1 April 2020, he is staying with family in Māngere, Auckland. Producing short, sharp and witty works in video, Monu’s practice has the immediacy and energy of French New Wave cinema comprising every aspect that cellphone media can provide.

Spheres: An Online Video Project

An online series of moving image works exploring social distance and personal environments including works from Xin Cheng, John Chrisstoffels, Conor Clarke, Ronnie van Hout, Sonya Lacey, Janet Lilo, Sione Monu, James Oram, Nova Paul, Bridget Reweti, Sriwhana Spong and Matavai Taulangau.

Considering the recent popularity of the word ‘bubble’, the Spheres series examines how we interact, and our emotions, thoughts and sensations in relation to our surroundings. German philosopher Peter Sloterdijk described societal structure spatially, as spheres expanding from intimate bubbles to globes and foams. These works offer different perspectives on social distance, personal environments and the close radius of home. 

We invited artists to share something of their spheres, the ideas and places they live with and around. Their works touch on a variety of concerns, from environmental issues to consumerism and the importance of preserving cultural knowledge. Experienced online, they also reflect on representation and the contemporary circulation of imagery and information, the transfer to digital that allows us to reach out into the world.