Interested in arts ability to connect to its community, Lana Lopesi reasserts the importance of cultural histories through her social practice.

Lana completed her Bachelor of Fine Art (honors) from The University of Auckland’s Elam School of Fine Art in 2013. Since graduating Lana has exhibited both nationally and internationally, however now she spends most of her time as a commentator. Lana is a critic of art and culture and the Visual Arts Editor for The Pantograph Punch. Her writing has featured in a number of publications in print and online including Art New Zealand, Un Magazine and Runway. Lana currently writes

By centralising her work around inquiries of personal histories, she encourages other Pacific people to locate themselves within wider cultural histories. Another interest of Lana’s is how art meets an audience. This concern for direct connection with audiences has resulted in a diverse approach to making and exhibiting. Lana uses design, pedagogy, mass production and interruption of public space to address these issues of access and reach. The production methods used by Lana also question the value of art, placing community reach as a priority.

Yours Truly was a solo project which was curated by Transit Projects (Ioana Gordon-Smith and Talia Smith). Lana’s Great Grandad was an avid stamp collector who like many collectors came to fetishise these objects. His collection of Samoan stamps was passed down to Lana when he passed away. This collection is in many ways was an heirloom of personal histories, bigger than that it was way of tracking the colonial history of Samoa. Using the imagery of these stamps Lana created a poster series representing the perceived ideals of the country as a whole. The poster series was exhibited in shop windows of a busy Auckland suburb. This exhibition was a part of the Whau Arts Festival, Artweek 2014.

Lana has exhibited in a number of group and solo exhibitions including: Cold Islander, Waikato Museum, Hamilton, 2017; Seki, The Physics Room, Christchurch, 2016; The Asia-Pacific Century, Enjoy Public Art Gallery, Wellington, 2016; Work Song, Treasure Hill, Taipei, Taiwan, 2016; Yours Truly, The Plantation a part of Whau Arts Festival, 2014; OFFSTAGE6, The Plantation, 2014; Night School, Fuzzy Vibes, 2014; Awkward Feelings, George Fraser Gallery, 2014; Backyard Gesture, Bizdojo/Ironbank, 2014; Elam 2013 Graduate Show, Elam School of Fine Art, 2013; Same STORY different COLOUR, St Paul Street Gallery 3, 2013; Seize the Time, ArtStation 2013; Don’t I Know You?, Project Space 2013; Return to Sender, Papakura Art Gallery, 2013; Mark presents – Why collaborate: Round Table discussion feat; Local Time and Nova Paul , Elam Common Room, 2012; This must be the place, St Paul Street Gallery, 2012; Nga Mahi Toi, Project Space and George Fraser Gallery, 2012. Lana has also curated shows including lai-pā, ST PAUL St Gallery, 2017; One Night Stand, Fuzzy Vibes, 2014; #IslandTime, Mangere & Otara Town Centres, 2014.