John Pule was born in Niue and moved to Auckland with his family when he was two years old.
He began exhibiting in 1987 but his work changed dramatically by the 1990’s when he started using a mix of Niuean and Western symbols, lettering and images. In some of his earlier work he uses primed, unstretched canvas using smudged reddish, rusty brown and dull green paint producing an effect that resembles painted bark cloth (tapa cloth).
Pule’s paintings depict Pacific Island mythology and histories, migration, Christianity, colonisation and migrant cultures. Lately his works have included ideas about all Pacific peoples’ identity and have incorporated his poetry.
In 2004 Pule received an Arts Foundation of New Zealand Laureate Award. In 2012 he was awarded an ONZM for services as an author, poet and painter in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. His work is held in the collection of the Auckland Art Gallery and the Museum of New Zealand -Te Papa
Pule is a published poet and novelist and has been described as one of the Pacific’s most significant artists.
