Born in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), Tongan artist John Vea works with sculpture, video and performance art. John’s art practice operates in the context of a Pacific perspective and reacting to hegemonic landscapes defining rules relating to labour and immigration policies. Performance art is an area John continues to explore responding to space and politics from a limbo/liminal perspective and in relation to Tangata Whenua. Before recently moving to Ōtautahi, John has been lecturing at Auckland University of Technology teaching in the School of Art and Design. In 2021 John completed his practice led Ph.D. also at Auckland University of Technology.