Sione Faletau
Sione Faletau
Dr. Sione Faletau is an Aotearoa-born Tongan artist based in Ōtara, South Auckland. His multidisciplinary practice spans performance, sculpture, installation, and digital art.
He completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts (First Class Honours) in 2013, a Master of Fine Arts (First Class Honours) in 2015, and a Doctor of Fine Arts in 2022 at Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland. His doctoral research examined Tongan masculinity from an Indigenous perspective through talanoa with more than 140 people across the Tongan islands of ‘Eua, Ha‘apai, Niuatoputapu, Tongatapu, and Vava‘u.
Grounded in Moana knowledge systems, particularly ongo (sound, feeling, presence) and kupesi (patterns), Faletau’s practice explores sonic mark-making, projection mapping, and immersive spatial environments. He was part of the inaugural Creative Australia and Creative New Zealand Digital Fellowship in 2022 and has undertaken residencies with Te Pūnaha Matatini and Tautai. His work has been presented in major exhibitions including the Hawai‘i Triennial, Bundanon Art Museum, and Govett-Brewster Art Gallery.
Project Summary
Dystopia Sound Art Biennial | Berlin, Germany
In October 2026, Sione Faletau will participate in the Dystopia Sound Art Biennial in Berlin, Germany, as both a symposium speaker and exhibiting artist. Presented by Errant Sound, the Biennial brings together international artists and researchers working across sound, performance, and critical research, with the 2026 theme Global Dystopias exploring dystopian soundscapes, cultural resilience, counter-narratives, and future-oriented thinking.
Invited by Berlin-based artist, researcher, and curator Janine Eisenächer, Faletau will contribute an Indigenous Pacific perspective to the symposium through his research and practice centred on the Tongan concept of ongo — sound, feeling, and presence. His presentation will explore Indigenous sonic knowledge, Pacific experiences of climate change, cultural continuity, and sound as a form of relational presence and resilience.
Alongside the symposium, Faletau will present new sound-based and sculptural works informed by field recordings, sonic research, and Tongan kupesi. Situated within an international sound art context, the opportunity will support the development and presentation of Pacific-centred research while contributing Indigenous perspectives to global conversations around sound, place, and futures.