Jeremy Leatinu‘u (Ngāti Maniapoto, Sāmoa) describes his artistic practice with one word: haututū. This kupu is often used to refer to child-like cheekiness, curiosity or propensity for mischief. But here, Leatinu‘u describes haututū as ‘someone that likes to try different things. Someone that is interested in exploring stories’.  

He says, ‘I’ve worked in sculpture, performance art, video and film. There have been a few different mediums that I’ve been interested in working in. And I think that’s kind of part of the haututū aspect that I enjoy.’  

He tells us about his work When the moon sees the sun, 2019, which he describes as a tribute to his grandfather and his exploration of whakapapa, having grown up in a different place than his birthplace. Leatinu‘u says, ‘I think it’s important for my family, my kids and my siblings, to know where he came from; where we came from. And to use that to help navigate us forward.’ 

To anyone who feels nervous about contemporary art, Leatinu‘u says, ‘I would only ask that they come with an open mind . . . Sometimes, the concept or an interpretation or your own reading might not come at that instant either. It might happen upon reflection, when you’ve left the space where the art was.’ 

Watch the full video for more, including why monuments are so interesting to Leatinu‘u and how art shapes the stories we tell and the stories we leave behind when we’re gone.