A travelling Tongan artist has returned to Auckland to share his contemporary, Island art style with budding Kiwi artists.
Friends I Haven't Met is Tēvita Lātū's nearly sold out, 18-piece exhibition of Picasso-esque works at a North Shore gallery.
Despite being established for only eight years, Lātū has already visited Australia, Tahiti, Cook Islands, New Zealand and Samoa, to display his artwork.
This success is unprecedented for the Tongan, who comes from a country that disregards art as nothing more than a hobby.
"In Tonga getting a degree in art is like getting a degree in fishing," Lātū said.
Lātū creates his unique pieces by pasting together collages of recycled newspapers, before painting portraits on top of them - a technique he shared at two free workshops he hosted at Northart gallery and Westlake Boys High School.
For Lātū, working with young people is what he enjoys the most, having started his own art school in Tonga that caters to underprivileged community youth.
The art group is named Seleka, which is the Tongan word for toilet - spelt backwards. This is Lātū's metaphorical way of trying to reverse the Tongan thinking on art.
"People gave us [artists] this name, we are turning it around," he said.
"Art gets the kids being occupied with something healthy.
"I want to educate them and mentor them, not just in art but in life."
See Friends I Haven't Met, open till October 6 at Northart, Ernie Mays St, Northcote.
Photo by: LAINE MOGER/STUFF (Caption: Tongan artist Tēvita Lātū returns to Auckland with Friends I Haven't Met)