faiTala Exhibition – Has also been listed as 10 exhibitions to visit in Canterbury.

The Hiapo AR garden series has since been developed for the ‘faiTala Exhibition’ – Storytelling is a way in which we share artistic practice, culture, belief systems, and even how we came to be. Three contemporary emerging artists; Linda Va’aelua, Katrina Iosia, and Iokapeta Magele-Suamasi art part of the Tagata Moana interface of visual art practice and digital intelligence. As artists, storytellers and technologists this exhibition includes themes in cultural heritage, materiality, holograms, mixed realities, and the impact of virtual existence on our human experience.

The Hidden Hiapo Garden 2023

This is ‘herstory’ woven deeply into the lineage of transformative design thinking, into the rich cultural fabric made up of her knowledge, she has woven the past, her present into the future of her technological work. Bridging the connectedness of past paternal histories of her grandmother Lotohaaku Iosia Sipeli, her present and the future. Her lived experience of navigation in these unfamiliar territories and the curiosity to see every experience through to new levels of development and understanding.
Watch the ‘Hidden Hiapo Garden’ appear before your eyes, immerse yourself amongst the flora and fauna, and experience the journey as you walk through, what can you see? What can you feel?.

Moving forward here are some handy tips:

From every exhibition I am learning more and more through my experience working with small galleries that want to include AR/VR Mixed and extended reality work, in their exhibitions. There are several challenges, here are a few of the biggest issues they may encounter as I have been experiencing.

1. Lack of technical knowledge: Many small galleries may not have the technical expertise to create or display AR art. They may not have staff who are familiar with the software and hardware needed to create and display AR content.
2. High costs: Creating and displaying AR art can be expensive, especially for small galleries with limited resources and budget. They may need to check and update hardware and software, as well as hire professionals and installers.
3. Focus on building infrastructure and resources to better support artists working in AR/VR and extended realities.

To overcome these challenges, small galleries may need to seek out partnerships with other organizations or individuals who have the resources and expertise to help them create and display AR art. They may also need to look for ways to reduce costs and reach a wider audience, such as by using social media and online platforms to promote their exhibitions and each artist individually and their work that is being show cased.