Taniela Petelo is a visual artist and musician, born and raised in Haveluloto, Tongatapu, Tonga. In 2009 he began training in fine arts under the artist and art teacher Tevita Latu, and today, alongside Latu, is a proud member of Seleka, an artist-run hub for young Tongan artists. Through Seleka he has travelled extensively across the Pacific, working with fellow artists in New Caledonia, Tahiti and New Zealand. Petelo works across a range of media, but is best known for his drawing, painting and mixed-media portraits.
His regular participation in exhibitions and residencies has drawn both local and international collectors, with his work now held in Poland, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and the United States. In 2021 his work travelled to Kyoto, Japan for the group exhibition Light of my World, and more recently, as part of Seleka, he was commissioned for the prestigious Asia Pacific Triennial (APT10) at the Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) in Brisbane. The resulting installation, Hifo Ki 'Olunga, a suspended Tongan fale housing a range of works by the collective, was acquired by QAGOMA. In 2024 he exhibited once again alongside his Seleka team, this time at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery in New Plymouth, New Zealand.
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Taniela Petelo is a visual artist and musician, born and raised in Haveluloto, Tongatapu, Tonga. In 2009 he began training in fine arts under the artist and art teacher Tevita Latu, and today, alongside Latu, is a proud member of Seleka, an artist-run hub for young Tongan artists. Through Seleka he has travelled extensively across the Pacific, working with fellow artists in New Caledonia, Tahiti and New Zealand. Petelo works across a range of media, but is best known for his drawing, painting and mixed-media portraits.
His regular participation in exhibitions and residencies has drawn both local and international collectors, with his work now held in Poland, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and the United States. In 2021 his work travelled to Kyoto, Japan for the group exhibition Light of my World, and more recently, as part of Seleka, he was commissioned for the prestigious Asia Pacific Triennial (APT10) at the Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) in Brisbane. The resulting installation, Hifo Ki 'Olunga, a suspended Tongan fale housing a range of works by the collective, was acquired by QAGOMA. In 2024 he exhibited once again alongside his Seleka team, this time at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery in New Plymouth, New Zealand.
For sizing and delivery details click HERE.
