Teretia Baraniko

My art practice explores diasporic identity, memory, and nostalgia by creating images rooted in personal memories from the interiors of New Zealand and Kiribati. Inspired by my childhood experiences across two different homes, I blend painting and printing techniques, tracing memories shaped by cultural expectations and the traditional values specific to Kiribati women. Raised in an environment with defined beliefs and gender roles, I learned traditional skills like cooking, weaving, and household tasks, which deeply influence how I perceive and represent my surroundings. Living in Kiribati taught me to value close community connections in open, shared spaces, while New Zealand provided private spaces where I could reflect on feelings like loneliness and adaptation. Despite these cultural contrasts, both environments inspire me to incorporate warm colours such as browns, reds, and greens on canvases that evoke my emotions and personal history. Through this art, I hope to connect with viewers who share similar experiences, inviting them to see their own stories reflected in the colours, settings, and interior spaces depicted.