Circuit Cast

“The smile goes away the longer they experience the work” - John Vea Comic Release is a three-part podcast series hosted by artist Joe Jowitt which explores the use of humour in artists' moving image. In this conversation, Joe meets Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland-born, Ōtautahi-based artist John Vea, whose work uses humour as a device to draw viewers into deeper dialogues around Pasifika identity. Image: John Vea, Is your name Siliga? No? Oh, you’re Pati? (2025) (detail) List of Topics: 00:00: Introduction 01:34: What is Talanoa? John - “a holistic way of experiencing information... a learning mechansim”. 03.20: On the video work Is your name Siliga? No? Oh, you’re Pati? (2025)' included in the exhibition Ini Mini Mani Mou (2025) at the Christchurch Art Gallery. John describes the genesis of the work; coming from the real life experience of being mistaken for someone else. In the video, friends “narrate their experiences of these stereotypical events. “It’s funny… it’s not sort of funny”. 05.50: Was the hum