Christopher Ulutupu

Christopher Ulutupu

Christopher Ulutupu is a multimedia artist based in Whakatū whose work explores identity, diaspora, and cultural hybridity through film, performance, and installation. Drawing on his Sāmoan heritage and life in Aotearoa, Ulutupu’s practice blends personal narrative with socio-political commentary, often with humour, theatricality, and the absurd.

He holds a Bachelor of Performance Design and a Master of Fine Arts from Massey University, and has exhibited widely across Aotearoa and internationally, including at Te Tuhi, Pātaka Art Museum, Enjoy Contemporary Art Gallery, and the Hobiennale in Tasmania. His notable works include Into the arms of my coloniser (2016), a playful reflection on intercultural dating, and The Fall (2022), a two-channel video exploring collapse, endurance, and post-colonial futures.

Alongside residencies and exhibitions, Ulutupu is a mentor and educator, fostering creative expression within communities. Through his bold practice, he invites audiences to reconsider narratives of culture, history, and belonging.

Project Summary

MFA and Asia Foundation Artist Residency | Hanoi, Vietnam


Christopher Ulutupu took part in an artist residency in Hanoi, Vietnam, alongside fellow Aotearoa artists Sorawit Songsataya (Bangkok, Aotearoa) and Georgina May Young (Ōtepoti). The residency, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Asia Foundation New Zealand, commemorated 50 years of Vietnam’s independence and the end of the Vietnam War.

Across three weeks, the Aotearoa envoy connected with Vietnamese artists and curators, fostering cultural exchange and professional development. As part of the residency, Ulutupu exhibited ‘What’s the worst you could do?’ (2021), a diptych originally commissioned by Te Tuhi Art Gallery and curated by Robbie Handcock for The Inner Lives of Islands. Alongside exhibitions, the programme included public workshops, gallery visits, and discussions with arts practitioners, building meaningful relationships between Aotearoa and Vietnam’s creative communities.

This opportunity extended Ulutupu’s ongoing commitment to cross-cultural dialogue, using art as a bridge between histories, peoples, and places.