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Overview
Sofia Tekela-Smith was born in New Zealand and is of Rotuman descent on her mother's side. Her work explores her multicultural heritage and celebrates her female Rotuman forebears. She uses materials from the Pacific islands, but sometimes also incorporates New Zealand material such as pounamu (greenstone). Like other makers of Pacific-inspired jewellery, she values the beauty of pearl shell and its use in adornment, particularly breast pendants.
Materials and decoration techniques
This breastplate is made from mother-of-pearl shell. The rectangular shell plate is attached to a neck cord comprising numerous strands of black synthetic twine lashed through five holes. The holes are placed side by side along the top edge of the plate. The numerous strands of black cord, although made of synthetic fibre, recall the cords of human hair often found on older Pacific adornments. Tekela-Smith acknowledges the importance of this tradition and sometimes uses the hair of a family member in her work.
The breastplate carries a laser-etched inscription by the artist's husband, Niuean author, poet, and artist John Pule: 'You are all things that I see, complete, incomplete. An anthology of mineral, a written action upon ancient city walls. A sign of hours, a circle of architects, or summer and her eldest child, Beauty.'