ZAKEA PAGE

Film/Design/Fine Art

Hockey in Motion - A Solo Exhibition

To coincide with the Paris Olympics, "Hockey in Motion", which explores the fascinating interplay between hockey and art, is an extension of Zakea's acclaimed project "Ink and Gold: An Artist's Journey to Olympic Glory", the Oscar-qualifying documentary short film. In Hockey in Motion, Zakea explores the synergies between the two disciplines. Using a field hockey stick and ball, he paints in virtual reality, using the movements of field hockey to create digital sculptures. The exhibition will also feature a live VR performance painting.

Visitors will be able to use virtual reality headsets to immerse themselves in the artwork. Each artwork reflects the energy and precision of field hockey. The movement of the game is explored in three-dimensional forms, offering new perspectives on the relationship between painting and sport.

Date: 29 July 2024

Time: 1-5pm

Address: 18 rue Lally-Tollendal, 75019 Paris

Ink And Gold: An Artist's Journey To Olympic Glory

The Oscar Qualified Documentary short film ‘Ink and Gold: An Artist’s Journey to Olympic Glory’ follows the journey of New Zealand artist and athlete, Zakea Page, winning the Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympic Games medal design competition and fulfilling a lifelong dream to perform at the opening ceremonies.

The film was shot over the course of one week in Lausanne, Switzerland, at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games and weaved together with self-taped footage of Zakea’s younger years as an athlete and artist. Accompanied with interviews of his family, ‘Ink and Gold’ highlights the connection between art and sport in bringing together peoples of diverse cultures and backgrounds to bridge barriers of language and foster connections, mutual understanding, and respect for one another. It also aims to dismantle the requirements of young people to choose between the two.

The story, artwork and design work in the film are a reflection of Mr. Page’s non-traditional upbringing as the child of international teachers and the many different cultures and experiences he was exposed to in New Zealand, Kuwait, Viet Nam, England, Bangladesh and China. These experiences are the foundation for his medal design, entitled “Beauty in Diversity”, to embody the Olympic celebration of respect, friendship and excellence, honouring every athlete's (and in this case, artist’s) journey to the Games.

A poetic and uplifting portrait of a young man looking for connection with humanity combining art and sport in expressive form, Ink and Gold is filled with hope and the limitless possibility of tomorrow.

INK AND GOLD WEBSITE

Ink and Gold has been Official Selection at 80 Film Festivals since the beginning of 2023, receiving 72 awards including 42 Best Documentary Short Awards.

Best Sports Film

Louisville’s International Festival of Film

Best documentary Short Film

International Online Web Fest

FICTS Award

SPORT MOVIES & TV 2023 – 40th Milano International FICTS FestIval

Best Editing

South Pacific Film Festival

Best Documentary Short

Accolade Global Film Competition

Best Documentary Short

The Indie Fest Film Awards

Bio

Zakea is a film maker, multi-disciplinary artist and designer from New Zealand who graduated from Massey University with a degree in Creative Media Production. Zakea directed 'Malformation Capital,' a short film exhibited as part of the 2018 Asian Aotearoa Arts Hui, a national public festival celebrating diverse expressions of 'Asianness' in New Zealand in the arts.

He had two solo exhibitions in Shanghai: Tenacious in 2017 and Benevolence in 2019. His work has been exhibited in America, New Zealand, China and Switzerland. He was a finalist for the Wellington Regional Arts Review in 2018, and a three-time finalist for the New Zealand National Youth Art Awards. He received the Festival Golden Special Mention to the Artist at the Arte Non Stop - International Film & Art Festival in Buenos Aries.

Zakea has recently exhibited his work for the first time at two venues in England. The first exhibition, entitled The Big 'Little' Exhibition in Bath, was dedicated to raising funds for refugees, with a particular focus on women and children facing domestic violence. Zakea was also featured in Shades Of Red at Fox Yard Studios in Suffolk, followed by a solo exhibition ‘Palimpsest’ in Bath.

Zakea won the International Olympic Committee's global design competition to design the medals for the Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympic Games, becoming the first New Zealander to design an Olympic medal. He also performed a painting of his medal design at the opening ceremony of the Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympic Games. Zakea has the distinction of being the only person to have designed an Olympic medal and performed at an Olympic Games Opening Ceremony at any version of the Games. Zakea has also performed his live paintings at the China International Export Expo and at the halftime show of the 2017 FIH Women's Hockey World League Final in Auckland.

Zakea written and directed his first short documentary 'Ink and Gold - An Artist's Journey to Olympic Glory' about the lead up to his performance at the Youth Olympic Games. The film was selected at over 80 festivals and won over 70 awards worldwide, including the FICTS Olympic Storytellers Award at the World Championships of Sports TV and cinema in Milan.

It had a theatrical release at the Lumiere Cinema in Beverly Hills, Los Angles and received an Academy Award qualification for Best Documentary Short Subject. It was the only New Zealand documentary short film to qualify for the 96th Academy Awards. Zakea is only the 6th person to have performed at an Olympic Games Opening/Closing Ceremony and qualify for an Academy Award after Bryan Adams, John Legend, Sir Paul McCartney, Bjork, Lady Gaga and Celine Dion. Zakea was also selected to be on the judging panel for the Gangwon 2024 Youth Olympic Games medal design competition. Zakea was also on the judging panel for the 2024 International Online Web Fest.

Coinciding with the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris Zakea premiered his Solo Exhibition 'hockey In Motion' alongside a live virtual reality performance.