Suspended Tradition, 2011
Being handed down tapa mats from her grandmother, Leesha paints on the cloth and then displays these large mats in an unethical way when regarding the Tongan custom and cultural ritual. Even though this would be offensive to the Tongan tradition, to the majority viewing these works, the displacement would not be as evidential. That key idea of how the works translate differently between her two cultural backgrounds of white Australia and Tongan tradition is a core component to the artist’s intention.
