Ana Teofilo
New Zealand born Samoan artist Ana Teofilo merges her Samoan heritage with western influence to create dynamic and contemporary Pasifika artworks.
Teofilo’s distinctive Polynesian motifs are rendered by the artist carving directly into shaped boards, working to small, mid, and large-scale in circular, square, and frangipani-like forms. She then adorns her carved surfaces with opaque glue dots that offer a reflective quality, echoing the surrounding colours and emphasising a sense of interplay between sculptural form and intricate detail.
Teofilo was the recipient of the Con Hutton Scholarship in 2015, contributing the completion of her Masters in Visual Arts from the Dunedin School of Art at Otago Polytechnic. She showed at Auckland Art Fair 2018, and was the 2022 winner of the Edinburgh Premier Art Award. Teofilo’s works are held in private collections, internationally and within New Zealand.
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Artworks by Ana Teofilo
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Commitment and Honour
See Artwork »Commitment & Honour explores the strength found in staying true to who we are, what we value, and the people we stand beside. Each band represents different generations and the circle of life. Each layer reflects the journey of remaining steadfast through change. Together, the patterns celebrate loyalty, integrity, and the courage to uphold our commitments with honour and purpose.
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Woven Into Us – Purple
See Artwork »Woven Into Us is both a reflection and a commitment to honour those who came before us, recognise the knowledge woven into who we are, and ensure what we carry today is passed on to those who come after us.
Hand carved into board, the three round bands represent the layers of whakapapa and lived experience connecting past, present, and future. Each carved line and form reflects knowledge that has been learned, practised, shared, and carried forward. The purple represents the depth and strength of these connections, speaking to mana, spirituality, wisdom, and the enduring presence of our Ancestors within us.
The centre represents our foundation and the core values we carry with us into the different spaces and stages of our journey. The repetitive glue dots extending toward the four points symbolize our journey, the milestones, footprints, and experiences that shape the path we take.