the vanya taule'alo gallery

Vanya's is an excellent gallery to view the art works of leading Samoan and Pacific artistes and artisans from a range of genres (traditional and contemporary) and media (tapa, siapo, wood, stone, shark and whale bone). As are the artworks, the jewellery and craft displayed are mostly unique and one-off pieces.The gallery is part of her beautiful home and garden- architecture and landscape which draws on Pacific architectural desciplines (brainchild of Vanya's husband) and love of nature. All of the above and Vanya, with her knowledge of Pacific life and culture, makes evert visit a very memorable experience.It is around 15 minutes from Apia centre- ensure that you have a map in hand and before leaving, request your hotel staff to speak with the taxi-driver and confirm directions. It is not difficult to find as there are large sign posts (one large black and red) on the key roads (towards airport) and turn-offs but taxis are prone to losing their way.

We found the gallery a bit hard to find, although to Vanya's credit there are large signs at the bottom of the roads leading up to the gallery. Although we were outside the Mon. Wed. Fri. opening, we went to the Information Centre in Apia and they rang her and she was only to happy to open for us. Vanya was very informative and unpretentious regarding the local art. We loved our experience there.

Thanks you very much for your supportive review of the gallery. It is a struggle getting a gallery going in Samoa but I will continue to strive to maintain the integrity of my artists works and uniqueness of their product. One factor you mention re distance from town I had wanted visitors to experience also the tropical garden surrounding the gallery. However being 10 mins from town it is proving a problem in terms of foot traffic. We will be relocating the gallery by mid 2014 so it will be only 5 mins from Apia. We will be adding to the gallery an organic cafe and garden with a natural playground for children! I hope next time you visit Samoa we can show you our new setting!

We visited the Vanya Taule'alo gallery on our last trip to Apia and it was a fantastic experience. She has an amazing selection of Samoan based and New Zealand based Samoan artists. Actually she had works on display from some of the true of the "heavy weights" of the contemporary Pacific Island arts scene, as well as works from lesser known and emerging artists. She herself is a rich repository of knowledge on the subject of the visual arts, as well as being an engaging and enjoyable host. It is great to visit Apia and to be able to dip into such a cultural experience.

Thanks very much for your review. I am glad you enjoyed your visit to the gallery and I do look forward to seeing you again if you are ever back in Samoa.

Thanks you so much for your encouraging review. Its tough getting interest in art here in Samoa and the gallery is just beginning to pick up traffic from overseas visitors. Your review is appreciated and I hope other visitos to Samoa will come and see us because of your recommendation. Faafetai tele lava