Polynesiaphonia is an exhibition presented by Te Whare Hēra / Villa Antipode French artist Camille Bleu-Valentin, at The Engine Room, Massey University.

13 -24 April 2026. Gallery open 1-4pm daily

The Engine Room, Block 1, Massey University, Wellington Campus

Polynesiaphonia is a multidisciplinary project exploring sound, sculpture and communication practices across the Pacific. Inspired by the Siren Kings culture in Aotearoa and ancestral uses of shell instruments, the work brings together ceramic shell sculptures and sonic compositions. These forms become hybrid devices : part ornament, part speaker, evoking both oceanic signals and contemporary urban sound systems.

The project also explores the idea of silent signals, inspired by a childhood memory in New Caledonia, where a single song was the only encounter with an Indigenous language at school, a quiet but striking signal in itself.

Special thanks to the French Embassy and Villa Antipode for unwavering support with this residency