Raymond Tuifao Lalotoa

Where did you grow up, and when did you come to Australia? How did this influence your creative career path?

I was born and raised in Newtown, Wellington, Aotearoa, New Zealand. My family also lived in a small town called Porirua (home of the peanut slab) before we migrated to Australia when I was 13. As far as its influence on me creatively goes, art was my escape from what was happening around me, I had a pretty chaotic upbringing. From a young age I used my imagination to create an alternative existence for myself. I’ve read that this has been the experience for many artists. A lot has happened since I was that lil kid scribbling furiously inside every book I could find in my parent's bookshelf. But when I’m making art, I’m still that same kid looking for an escape. But don’t get me wrong, I’m not the ‘wounded artist’. I actually find a lot of strength and inspiration from my crazy childhood. As far as I know, I carry no war wounds.

Your artwork often explores pop culture, displaying comical and hopeful messages with characters and vibrant colours. What draws you to these topics, and what influences your choice in subject matter?

I learnt the art of compartmentalising everything I see from a young age. Every experience and every moment are in a colour coded Google Drive folder in my head. Whether it’s an object, watching a film, meeting someone new, hearing a song or even seeing a colour (especially colour), I automatically jump to a memory and from that gathered information I sift it through to create a narrative that allows me to bring a story to paper or canvas. I never overthink my art process or stand in the way of an idea. And I never sketch, I just go straight to it. It’s a bit risky, but I feel this strange wave of nostalgia like I’m at battle, fighting next to the many artists who have passed before me. Weird right? I’ve also read about artists feeling similar feelings. Must be some artist gang related DNA thing. Haha! The process of making art is immensely freeing and very important to me. I watch movies, scroll through my phone, look at art books and wait it out. Pop culture, news and memes seem to be good catalysts for random waves of inspiration for me. We’re pretty lucky to have that kinda access to inspiration. Sometimes a song will send me on a Google excursion, and then I end up finding out who wrote a song and how it made its way from idea to hit.

For example Thom Yorke from Radiohead once talked about how he had recorded this bass riff for the song MYXOMATOSIS. He held onto it and showed it to the band years later. But then you’ll go on a Radiohead band forum and still today everyone's arguing over who wrote the bass riff. I just love paying attention to weird facts. And if it’s interesting it usually makes its way to a painting. But with me, I ended up making a whole art show based on Radiohead. So ideas are always floating around, and you don’t want to start ideas with me, because I’ll be the guy who is hanging around trying to finish it two years later. I’m a nightmare. LOL

How does your Samoan heritage influence your artistic practice?

I’m very proud of my Samoan roots, and it’s always informing me in many ways, not just in my art but in my life. I always remember that my parents left an island in the pacific in search of a better life only one generation ago. So the realisation that I am pretty lucky to be here is always present for me. I show gratitude for the gifts of making music and art. And being Samoan mixed with my crazy upbringing all play a big part. The flowers, Samoan text and zigzag lines usually find their way onto my paintings, which I hope everyone sees it as a shout-out to the people of Samoa.

Is there a through line with your musical expressions and your artistic expressions?

100%. A lot of my art is based on music and a lot of my music is based on art. I think the correlation between the two is endless, and I’m always happy to mix it all together. I love it when someone sends me a DM saying that they liked the Frank Ocean or Radiohead connection to a painting that I did. You don’t come across music connected art every day, but when I see it, I’m always happy to know that other artists love music so much that they express it in their art. I follow a lot of art / music artists on Instagram. It keeps me connected and inspired by a language which I see as an important art form.