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Louie Bretaña

WORDS KATE MULLINS

Themes of pre-colonial Philippine spirituality are woven with contemporary and futurist narratives by Louie Bretaña in vibrant, bejewelled paintings and sculptures. He draws inspiration from the great canon of indigenous Philippine deities, or diwatas. Buan represents the celestial diwata of the moon, who lost an eye battling her sibling Arao (the sun) for rule of the universe. As a result, Arao rules the day and Buan the night, bringing blessings of justice and equality with the half-light of her shimmering, single eye. Born in the Philippines with family connections to Manila and the Visayan province of Iloilo, Louie had a career as an advertising creative before immigrating to Aotearoa in 2011. He has exhibited widely across New Zealand in recent years including major exhibitions in Auckland at Objectspace and Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary Gallery.

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en-nz

2023-06-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-06-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

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