Leafa Wilson

Leafā Wilson is an accomplished artist, curator and writer based in Waikato, New Zealand. Her commitment to the arts spans over three decades where she has become a pioneer for curatorial practices.

As an artist, Wilson is revered for her experimental performances and multi-media installations. She has often worked under the nom de guerre Leafā Wilson a.k.a Olga Krause, a name that honours her dual Samoan and German heritage whilst also providing a place to question and blur the boundaries of Indigenous and Western ideologies. Her diverse interests have resulted in unique collaborations and projects such as the art zine Pre/Post Rapture; the performance work Anthro. 101 with Dr. Nichola Harcourt and Faith Wilson; and ongoing musical projects with Alex Mustard and her band The Jansen’s.
She has exhibited widely in solo and group exhibitions since the 1980s and held artist residencies at the University of Queensland Brisbane in 2006 and the Burke Museum, Seattle, Washington in 2005.

In 2024, she was the recipient of the Special Recognition Award at the Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards.