Mark Adams

05.08.1978. Epifania and Su'a Sulu'ape Paulo II and Paulo's first child Va'a. Chalfont Crescent. Māngere. Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

Artwork Detail

This group portrait shows Samoan tufuga tatatau (tattoo expert) Su'a Sulu'ape Paulo II at home with his wife Epifania and their child Va'a in Māngere in 1978. Mark Adams went on to photograph Sulu'ape at work for the next 20 years. Adams recalls his first meeting with Sulu'ape:

"We just bowled into Paul's place [with his brother-in-law Pio Taofinu'u and painter Tony Fomison] in Chalfont Crescent in Māngere. They were at church, so we waited around in Paul's lounge. And they all came back from church – Epi's mum and dad were staying – to discover Tony and me were sitting there rather nervously. It just sort of went from there. I showed Paul the photos [of Mr Salati], and we just started talking. I asked him, 'Can I photograph your practice, can I come with you?' and he said 'yeah'. He just took us at face value, which is really what we wanted, I suppose. Then we started going out with Paul."

- Mark Adams: A Survey | He Kohinga Whakaahua, 2025

Title: 05.08.1978. Epifania and Su'a Sulu'ape Paulo II and Paulo's first child Va'a. Chalfont Crescent. Māngere. Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.
Artist/creator: Mark Adams
Production date: 1978 {printed 2025}
Medium: silver bromide print for a 4 x 5 inch black-and-white negative film
Dimensions: 630 x 783 x 32 mm
Credit line: Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 2025
Accession no: 2025/20/5
Other ID: MA08 Artist's reference number, B.026424 Lender's Accession No, X2024/21/4/16.2 Former Exhibition Number
Copyright: Social Media use permitted
Department: New Zealand Art
Display status: Not on display

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