Salote Tawale: ‘sis’
For nearly two decades, Salote Tawale has upended viewers’ and critics’ expectations of who she is and what she is likely to do next. Significantly, she refuses for her art practice to be categorised as a symbol of ‘Pacific-ness’ or her place of birth, Fiji. Tawale’s video work — often humourous — is included in the exhibition ‘sis: Pacific Art 1980–2023’ at the Gallery of Modern Art until 25 August 2024.
In the words of the artist:
I think role-playing and humour function as a tool for my art in the same way it does in my life. It can be used as a coping mechanism. It can break the tension. I’m hoping that when people come and view these works that they do have a chuckle and think about what’s so funny, because within that entangled is the concepts of the work.
![Salote Tawale / Fiji b.1976 / Pocari sweat (still) 2014 / Single-channel HD video: 4:46 minutes, colour, sound, looped / Purchased 2020 with funds from the Bequest of Jennifer Taylor through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / Accession No: 2020.143 / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art / © Salote Tawale / A photograph of a person in a swimming pool, drinking from blue cans of Pocari Sweat](/system/files/styles/wide/private/2024-07/2020.143_001_still_AM.jpg?itok=OjZ7IyKq)
Salote Tawale / Fiji b.1976 / Pocari sweat (still) 2014 / Single-channel HD video: 4:46 minutes, colour, sound, looped / Purchased 2020 with funds from the Bequest of Jennifer Taylor through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / © Salote Tawale
![© Salote Tawale Artwork Pocari sweat this artwork made of Single-channel HD video: 4:46 minutes, colour, sound, looped, created in 2014-01-01](/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2020.143_002_still.jpg?itok=csQCFmAG)
Pocari sweat 2014
- TAWALE, Salote - Creator
![© Salote Tawale Artwork Veibuni this artwork made of Single-channel HD video: 4:44 minutes, colour, sound, 16:9, looped, created in 2018-01-01](/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2022.261_002_still.jpg?itok=CMogJ05g)
Veibuni 2018
- TAWALE, Salote - Creator
![© Salote Tawale Artwork Constantly Changing this artwork made of Single-channel HD video: 18:20 minutes, colour, sound, 16:9, looped, created in 2018-01-01](/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2022.260_007_still.jpg?itok=8L7kfXrx)
Constantly Changing 2018
- TAWALE, Salote - Creator
![Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online](/sites/default/files/styles/large/filesqagoma/assets/image-pending.jpg?itok=SDhxQrcw)
Super Super 2003
- TAWALE, Salote - Creator
![© Salote Tawale Artwork The Peel this artwork made of Single-channel HD video: 5:08 minutes, colour, sound, looped, 4:3, created in 2004-01-01](/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2020.139_001_still.jpg?itok=xHKgpwPJ)
The Peel 2004
- TAWALE, Salote - Creator
![Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online](/sites/default/files/styles/large/filesqagoma/assets/image-pending.jpg?itok=SDhxQrcw)
Cocoon 2004
- TAWALE, Salote - Creator
![© Salote Tawale Artwork Rollergirl this artwork made of Single-channel SD video: 2:48 minutes, colour, sound, looped, created in 2004-01-01](/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2020.140_002_still.jpg?itok=9dwAaFaU)
Rollergirl 2004
- TAWALE, Salote - Creator
![© Salote Tawale Artwork Ripper this artwork made of Single-channel SD video: 6:40 minutes, colour, sound, looped, 4:3, created in 2002-01-01](/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2020.138_001_still.jpg?itok=0UxQQIUU)
Ripper 2002
- TAWALE, Salote - Creator
- Theiler, Michael - Sound Designer
![© Salote Tawale Artwork Person peel this artwork made of Single-channel SD video: 2:05 minutes, colour, silent, looped, 4:3, created in 2002-01-01](/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2020.137_001_still.jpg?itok=uB-V2OLu)
Person peel 2002
- TAWALE, Salote - Creator
![© Salote Tawale Artwork Guard this artwork made of Single-channel HD video: 5:45 minutes, colour, sound, looped, created in 2017-01-01](/system/files/styles/large/private/object-images/2020.145_001_still.jpg?itok=R25ZqcCv)
Guard 2017
- TAWALE, Salote - Creator
Digital story context and navigation
Explore the story
![Rosanna Raymond performs within ’sis: Pacific Art 1980–2023’, pictured here with works by Jaki-ed weavers, GOMA, August 2023 / Collection: QAGOMA / © The artists / Photograph: C Callistemon, QAGOMA](/system/files/styles/large/private/2024-07/20230831_ccallistemon_BackhandMaidenDActiVAtion_032.jpg?itok=n3xaWCg0)
‘sis: Pacific Art 1980–2023’
Aug 2023 - Sep 2024