About

 Awis — Artis Blong Vanuatu


Awis Artis Blong Vanuatu are a group of artists from Mataso Island, Vanuatu. These young artists are from the post -independence (July, 1980) generation and have spent more time on the larger island of Efate where television, advertising, reggae  and string band music have merged with local and traditional beliefs and lifestyle.

In July 2014, Ona and Arthur Filloy, with the help of Simix Simeon, the leader of the Mataso village artists group, turned their rented cottage in Port Vila into a productive workshop creating these colourful prints. After a month of laughter and lots of hard work, they returned to Brisbane with over 100 pieces of art, some of which are displayed in our shop. Ona and Arthur’s mission is to bring Mataso art to the world, to eventually establish a permanent workshop to further develop their skills and sell their art. This would enable the artists to gain an ongoing income to benefit themselves and the Mataso community as a whole. 

From left: SIMIX SIMEON, APIA WILLIE, PATRICK TOMAS, SEPA SEULE, DAVID KOLIN, STANLEY FIRIAM, HERVELINE LITE