Darcell Apelu is a mixed-medium artist of New Zealand, European and Niuean decent. Her art practice involves moving image, sound, performance and installation and often she uses her own body and the act of wood chopping to explore definitions of identity, ‘the other’, the Pacific body and western masculine culture.
“…when someone tries to understand another person, an automatic process of categorisation starts. Through that process, there is loss of understanding,” she says.
“In my practice, I use my body to engage a conversation to define what is ‘me’ and ‘you’ to focus on how much – or little – understanding happens between that exchange.”