Pisupo lua afe (Corned beef 2000)
Michel Tuffery, 1994
TANGATA O LE MOANA
This eye-catching bull is made of corned beef tins!
New Zealand has sold pisupo, or corned beef, in the Pacific since the late 1800s. There, it’s eaten and gifted on special occasions. But it’s also high in fat and salt, and causes health problems.
Artist Michel Tuffery says: ‘My corned beef bullock talks about the impact of global trade and colonial economies on Pacific Island cultures.’ Imports are now part of Pacific cultures – but they can also make communities dependent.
After making this sculpture in 1994, Tuffery created two motorised cattle that looked similar to it. They fought in Wellington’s Te Ngākau Civic Square!