Defying Categorisation By Jake Howie Shigeyuki Kihara and her art fight against society’s norms

Walking into the Newton studio of Shigeyuki Kihara is like walking into a really, really good op shop. Cultural artefacts from previous decades are mish-mashed with paintings, books, and even a retro Kiri te Kanawa record - before she was Dame. Light pours through the musty windows, making the room hot and sweaty. It’s the ideal studio for creating world-renowned art like Kihara does. She is the artist once described as being ‘born to defy categorisation’. She is transgender, she is a Japanese-Samoan living in Aotearoa, and she is an artist. “The mainstream thought is the Pakeha thought,” Kihara says. “Normality’ is to be a Western heterosexual. I do not, I will not assimilate! Besides, I can’t, because I’m none of those!” Kihara talks frankly about not fitting into society’s idea of normal’. Her art, such as her transformation into seven other personas for the photographic Fa’a fame: In a Manner of a Woman exhibition in Sydney, constantly defies and questions the normal’. “I mean, what is normal?” she says. “What does it mean?” Well, whatever ‘normal’ Is can’t be good, not for an artist, anyway. In fact, Kihara’s art is so ‘abnormal’, or original, that it has been bought by New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art to be displayed in the future.

Kihara admits her existence is a political statement, and she delves into her own experiences to rummage up inspiration for her work. She divulges one of her most defining moments in her artistic life. She was called ‘faggot’ and retaliated, ending up in Wellington jail. “I sat there thinking about the scenano (1 was ml, and I thought ‘do I want to be aggro and beat everyone up, or better myself and my community by challenging the system?’,” she says. Kihara’s diverse heritage inspires much of her culturally driven woric Growing up, she lived in Samoa, Japan and Indonesia before settling in New Zealand with her Japanese father and Samoan mother. “Coming from an interracial family, the dining table would have taro, corned beef and sushi,” she says. Kihara arrived in New Zealand to

the dominant biropean lifestyle, which she says was irrelevant to her. “I celebrate where I come from,” she says proudly. Shigeyuki Kihara’s professional resumé is overwhelming. She started her career in fashion, woildng in a variety of jobs from hairdressing to producing fashion shows to working on fashion editorials. Her invo4ment in the art community is even more colourful From photograhic exhibitions to cutturally derived performances, she has expressed her cu’ture and ideas lhrough afl In a wide.array of mediums

Next up, she,is in charge-of a transTasman exhibition called Indigenous and Queen, which is being shown during Sydney’s Mardi Gras next year. The art show will display the work of indigenous communities from New Zealand. Australia, 91 and Niue from February 2008 at two venues in Sydney. During Mardi Gras, the exhibition will be shown at Boomalli and Performance Space.
For any further information on Shige*i Kihora and her artworlc go to
www.shermangalleriescom.ou.
eq,ss What is your favourite city and why?
Klharo My favorite city is Apia, Samoa, especially during Christmas/New Year. You get to meet the Samoan diaspora based around the world, from Los Angeles, Hawaii, Australia, Aotearoa. Everyone comes together, and it’s very interesting and very cosmopolitan.
If you could have unlimited funds to shop anywhere, you would shop at...?
IC An African label called Xulybet, Christian Dior, Hallwood, Top Shop for its variety and it’s cheap! Jean Paul Gaultier. My style muse is Sienna Miller. My magazines would be Vanity Fair, Cosmo, Vague, National Geographic and D-Source.
e: The best artist in New Zealand is...?
k Shigeyukl Kihara! If you don’t believe in yourself, then who will?
e: What is your favourite thing?
K Spending time with my sister, and the mutual love and respect we have for each other. She’s 12, I’m her big sister, I take her on shopping sprees and I get to see her world.
What does New Zealand represent to you?
K New Zealand is where tangata whenua lead the way for indigenous movement across the South Pacific and beyond. It’s through how society treats tangata whenua that uttimately results in how other minorities will be treated in the future.