Performance: Kalisolaite ‘Uhila presents Kelekele Mo’ui (Living Soil)

Kalisolaite ‘Uhila’s performance practice engages with endurance, silence, and social critique, and he creates durational works, which are informed by his Tongan heritage and explore ideas of tradition, masculinity, and cultural bias.

In Kelekele Mo’ui (Living Soil), ‘Uhila explores the relationship between land, labour, and life, drawing on the Tongan words kelekele (soil, earth, ground) and mo’ui (life, living). The day-long performance work involves ‘Uhila sitting still while buried up to his neck in a pile of soil. The work contrasts moments of intense physical exertion with the stillness of maumau-taimi—a concept translated as “wasting time”—to question the value systems shaping our understanding of productivity, gender, and the body. Through sustained engagement with the elemental qualities of soil—its texture, weight, and scent—‘Uhila affirms the ground as both a site of sustenance and a register of lived experience.

Presented by Michael Lett and UNSW Galleries

Visitors to Sydney Contemporary will be able to view the work evolve throughout the day and are particularly encouraged to attend at 5pm for ‘Uhila’s removal from the soil. This performance is weather dependent.