Christchurch-based Tongan artist John Vea’s new exhibition, “Ini Mini Mani Mou,” humorously highlights the bureaucratic hurdles Pacific migrants face in New Zealand.
Opened on March 8 at the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, the exhibition features interactive installations symbolizing the complexities of immigration processes. Vea uses “impossible or futile games” to represent the often “bureaucratic immigration processes” Pacif66ic migrants navigate.
One installation portrays the New Zealand passport as the ultimate prize, yet always remains just out of reach.
A moving-image work further explores the arbitrary nature of immigration assessments. Curator Chloe Cull said, “Vea’s art exposes the unfairness of the system and demands more transparency.”
To support those navigating immigration processes, the gallery will partner with the Citizens Advice Bureau to host a free visa and residency workshop.
“Ini Mini Mani Mou” runs until July 13, 2025.
