Kim Meredith Gallery | Sulieti Fieme’a Burrows MNZM & Tui Emma Gillies - Blue Lady
Blue Lady
Sulieti Fieme’a Burrows MNZM & Tui Emma Gillies
OPENING: 7 March, 2pm–4pm
ARTIST TALK: 21 March, 12.30pm –1.30pm
Blue Lady brings together the extraordinary creative force of celebrated mother–daughter duo Sulieti Fieme’a Burrows MNZM (Falevai/Vava’u) and Tui Emma Gillies (Falevai/Vava’u, Aotearoa), known for their fierce commitment to honouring and evolving the traditions of tapa-making. Their collaborative work interlaces ancestral knowledge with contemporary storytelling, creating visual narratives that speak to the mana, grace and endurance of women.
At the heart of the exhibition is Blue Lady, a tapa portrait of a figure painted in soft blue tones over the textured patterns of traditional cloth. She is intentionally ambiguous — a presence whose identity cannot be fixed to any single place or lineage.
“She is all women,” says Tui Emma Gillies. “She carries challenges and triumphs we don’t always see or name. When people stand before her, I want them to recognise someone they know — or even themselves.”
The Blue Lady becoming a symbol of what many women carry: labour, wisdom, adaptability and courage. Her steady gaze anchors the exhibition in empathy and endurance. The show celebrates the universality of women’s stories while grounding them in the heartbeat of Pacific making and creativity. It stands as a testament to collaboration, cultural continuity, and the profound artistry that emerges when heritage and innovation meet.
Exhibition runs 7 March - 24 April 2026.
Kim Meredith Gallery @kimmeredithgallery
4 Pukenamu Drive, Whanganui
247 Symonds St,
Eden Terrace
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
Hours: Wed to Fri 3 - 6pm, Sat 12 - 4pm