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This year, Te Whare Hēra Artist Residency at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa ������Դ welcomes a bold and visionary new voice in interdisciplinary art-making: SAtheCollective, a dynamic arts company from Singapore. Known for fusing heritage, innovation and immersive experience, SAtheCollective brings a richly textured, cross-cultural practice that engages with music, performance, visual arts and technology.

The 2025 residency marks the next phase of their expansive project, Aotearoa Connections, an exploration of Indigenous wisdom, diasporic narratives and the complex threads of identity that link Singapore and Aotearoa New Zealand. Hosted by Toi Rauwhārangi College of Creative Arts in Wellington, this collaboration embodies the ethos of Te Whare Hēra: a commitment to intercultural dialogue, innovation and artistic excellence.

About SAtheCollective

Founded in 2016 and supported by the National Arts Council Singapore, SAtheCollective is led by Artistic Directors Andy Chia and Dr Natalie Alexandra Tse, both renowned for pushing boundaries between traditional forms and contemporary expression. Their work weaves together ritual, improvisation and cutting-edge technology, creating immersive performances that bridge the spiritual and the speculative.

“We are deeply honoured to be part of Te Whare Hēra’s journey. Being here allows us to listen, learn and create within the unique spirit of Aotearoa. We hope to weave new stories together, stories that honour Indigenous wisdom, celebrate cultural crossings, and imagine futures where tradition and innovation walk hand in hand,” Mr Chia says.

They will be performing Inheritance at in Wellington on 24 May. This multidisciplinary performance draws on Māori and Asian musical and creative lineages. Featuring collaboration with Arts Laureate Associate Professor Horomona Horo, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou, Taranaki, visual artist Regan Balzer, Ngāti Ranginui, Te Arawa, Raukawa, Apakura, experimental musician Jonny Marks and sound artist and Massey Senior Lecturer Dr Jon He, Inheritance will bring together ancient instruments, live painting and electronic manipulation in a fusion of sound and image.

Embracing connection through culture and creativity

Through their time at Te Whare Hēra, SAtheCollective aims to explore themes of identity, connectivity, transformation and belonging, all of which are central to their ongoing project Age of Revelation. The artists say these themes feel particularly poignant in a world grappling with the aftermath of a pandemic, ecological upheaval and the widening rift between tradition and technology.

Their approach embraces collaboration and community. The residency will include opportunities for interaction with students and staff from Whiti o Rehua School of Art, public programmes and creative exchanges with local institutions.

A pōwhiri at Te Rau Karamū Marae on Massey’s Pukeahu campus served as a formal welcome to the Collective, and was attended by university staff and a representative from the Singapore High Commission, First Secretary Mr Theron Muk.

As part of the Te Whare Hēra programme, the residency not only provides artists with space and time to create but also fosters cross-cultural learning, shared narratives and long-term relationships between artists and local communities. SAtheCollective’s visit promises to deepen these connections, bringing a unique Southeast Asian perspective to conversations on indigeneity, migration, ecology and global belonging.

Dr He says the Collective have had a long connection with Massey, dating back to pre-pandemic 2019.

“Our connections with Andy and Natalie began in 2019 when I was passing by Singapore for an international performance in Milan. They were welcoming and provided a platform to share my creative endeavours with their community. Since then, SAtheCollective presented mechatronic sound sculptures developed by Massey faculty in 2021, and hosted Massey researchers in 2023 for a two-week residency to share creative practices and develop new collaborative works. We also featured SAtheCollective’s work in the 2023 Asia Aotearoa Arts Hui, contributing to the sonic whakapapa relationships between Singapore and Aotearoa.”