Teuila Va'aelua
Lily-Jean (2024) cotton rag part print
650mm x 890mm (including black frame)
$1200
Edition 1/1
“Lily-Jean” is an eponymous artwork named after my cousin, whom I had the opportunity to photograph when she was selected as the taupou for Ōtāhuhu College in 2024.
This work was exhibited at Studio One as part of Raroboys Vol. 3. The theme of this show was celebration. Reflecting on this, and as it was my first year out of high school, I wanted to highlight Polyfest and the platform it provides for youth and the wider community to celebrate our cultures.
About the artist
Auckland-based student of Sāmoan and Scottish descent. She comes from a family rich with creative influences, from visual arts to written language. Having started her early life in a full-immersion Sāmoan preschool, she spent much of her formative years being raised in Manila, Philippines. Returning to Aotearoa New Zealand for high school, leading Teuila to explore what Sāmoan identity and being within Western constructs means today. These themes are prevalent in her creative writing, printmaking and photography.
Teuila was one of 20 youths to participate in the National Geographic Photo Camp in 2023, with one of her images featured in the prestigious magazine’s newsletter. Following that, she was a finalist in the New Zealand Secondary School Photography Competition. She is currently studying towards a Bachelor of Visual Arts at AUT.
