photo credit: Laura Hetzel
A black and white image of Pelenakeke leaning by a window with a quizzical look on her face.
Body Sovereignty
Pelenakeke was selected curator by the Artists of Color Council, to curate artists for the 2019 Spring Season. Pelenakeke curated three artists from Oceania to perform work that explored Body Sovereignty in relationship to their practice.
“I have selected Rodney Bell, Caroline Garcia and Kaina Quenga and Anthony Aiu of Te Ao Mana to present work responding to the theme ‘Body Sovereignty.’ Body sovereignty is being in control of how we live in relationship with our body & in control of how our body is in relationship with the world. I have curated queer and disabled bodies as I wanted to honor each different artist and sovereign body along with the inherent indigeneity of each of them.
The use of the word sovereignty is deliberate as it has many legal & historical connotations & is often used in reference to fanua (land) independence. It is fitting then that each of the artists, all from the Pacific will be responding to the theme in relationship to their own personal practice.”
Read the full curatorial statement here.