Telly Tu’u – James Makin Gallery

Telly Tu'u

Artist Profile

Biography

Telly Tu’u is a Sydney-based artist, born in Wellington New Zealand. Culture is a seminal part of the artist’s practice, drawn from his Samoan, Chinese, Tokelau and Tuvalu heritage. His atmospheric abstract works call upon references including the Samoan Pe’a (tattoo) or Tapa cloth, which comprise patterns abstracted from nature. Tu’u’s paintings are celebrated for their gestural marks and washes, which build captivating movement and continuity upon the canvas. In his paintings, hard-edge forms interrupt atmospheric, smoke-like surfaces to create visual anchors – moments suspended in time upon an ambient, constantly moving surface.

BIOGRAPHY

Exhibitions

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020 Untitled New Work King Street Gallery on William, Sydney
2020 Migle, King Street Galery on William, Sydney
2020 Home, Bowen Galleries, Wellington, New Zealand
2020 Untitled New Work King Street Gallery on William, Sydney
2019 Telly Tu’u [with Neil Frazer] 333 Art Project the Clayton Utz Art
Partnership, Clayton Utz, Sydney
2018 You can’t lose what you ain’t never had King Street Gallery on William,
Sydney
2017 Syncopation King Street Gallery on William
2017 Limbic Bowen Galleries, Wellington, New Zealand
2016 Untitled, 333 Project/King Street Galery on William, Sydney
2014 New Work: Telly Tu’u and Michelle Ah Kuoi 474 Oxford Street, Sydney
2008 Thalamus: Telly Tu’u 150 Lichfield Street, Christchurch
2007 The Unromantics: Yeo Won and Telly Tu’u School of Fine Arts Gallery,
University of Canterbury, New Zealand

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022 Summer New, James Makin Gallery, Melbourne
2020 Inside/Outside, King Street Gallery on William, Sydney
2016 You are Invited Watters Gallery, Sydney
2011 Drawing Centre of Contemporary Arts, Christchurch, New Zealand
2011 Airline – International Drawing Show ABC Gallery, Christchurch, New
Zealand
2009 Nicht So Schlimm HSP High Street Project, 140a Lichfield Street,
Christchurch, NZ
2009 The Friends of the Gallery – Acquisition Christchurch Public Art Gallery Te
Puna O Waiwhetu, NZ
2009 Cloud 9 Christchurch Public Art Gallery, Te Puna Waiwhetu, NZ
2009 Group Show Newcall Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
2009 SELECT: The 2009 University of Canterbury Art Acquisition School of
Fine Arts Gallery, Christchurch Arts Centre, NZ
2008 SELECT: The 2008 University of Canterbury Art Acquisition School of
Fine Arts Gallery, NZ

Awards

AWARDS/RESIDENCIES
2011-12 Australian Postgraduate Award

ARTWORKS

Telly Tu'u When Things Fall Apart 2023 oil on linen 112 x 112 cm $6,200.00 ENQUIRE →
Telly Tu'u Rupture 2023 oil on linen 84 x 84 cm $5,000.00 ENQUIRE →
Telly Tu'u Toolie 2023 oil on linen 92 x 92 cm $5,500.00 ENQUIRE →
Telly Tu'u Surrender 2023 oil on linen 183 x 178 cm $9,000.00 ENQUIRE →
Telly Tu'u Vagabond 2023 oil on linen 198 x 183 cm $9,500.00 ENQUIRE →
Telly Tu'u Tenderheart 2023 oil on linen 102 x 102 cm $6,000.00 ENQUIRE →
Telly Tu'u Rummage 2023 oil on linen 112 x 122 cm $6,500.00 ENQUIRE →
Telly Tu'u Clarity 2023 oil on linen 127 x 122 cm $7,000.00 ENQUIRE →
Telly Tu'u Chiffon 2023 oil on linen 84 x 84 cm $5,000.00 ENQUIRE →
Telly Tu'u Breakaway 2022 Oil on canvas 46 x 46 cm $2,900.00 ENQUIRE →
Telly Tu'u Blur 2022 Oil on canvas 46 x 46 cm $2,900.00 ENQUIRE →
Telly Tu'u Shilly Shally 2022 oil on linen 61.5 x 66.5 cm $3,500.00 ENQUIRE →