Between Tree and Tide

Artist Luca Tu'avao Walton, widely known as @lucidluca, presents his first physical gallery exhibition, "Between Tree and Tide," at Christchurch's Fibre Gallery. Moving beyond his previous work in digital illustration and apparel, Walton transforms the traditional gallery setting into an immersive space designed through a Pacific lens. The exhibition's concept is rooted in a specific childhood memory of resting under a mango tree, aiming to evoke the warmth and familiarity of his island upbringing.

The gallery space replaces traditional white walls with a sensory environment featuring a tropical lawn, fala kulasi (mats adorned with yarn), and Tongan music. Notable artistic elements include hand-painted acrylic silhouettes of trees significant to the artist's childhood—such as papaya, banana, and coconut—which cast shadows throughout the room. Each artwork features intricate frames made from thousands of hand-knotted pieces of yarn, blending the visual art with traditional Pacific craft textures.