Biography
Visual Artist
Paintings, Portraits, Installations, Site- specific Work, Commissions, Workshops and Interdisciplinary Collaborations.
Specialised in using recycled traffic signs as an art medium.
Education
Painter and installation artist whose training and inspiration are informed by her upbringing, her tri-cultural family (Germany, New Zealand and Samoa), travel, creative friends and her interests in dance, spirituality and ecology.
1996-2002 Member of MAU Dance company founded and directed by Lemi Ponifasio (performer, photos, props...)
2016- 2017 Master of Arts Management >
2017-2018 MCCP with first Class Honours (Master of Cultural and Creative Practice), Auckland University of Technology.
Art Philosophy
Sampero's practice is characterised by ongoing cross- disciplinary exploration and research.
Please refer to university dissertation pages 21-34 for discussion of artwork in relation to digital technology and health.
openrepository.aut.ac.nz/items/507ef632-d984-4c4f-8538-97307c9aaf3e
Please contact for information on current research.
Selected Solo Exhibitions / Installations
2024 / 2025 Conference of the Birds, Lopdell House Gallery, Auckland
2024. Tu'u tu'u i le loloto - Take it to the Deep, Papakura Art Gallery, Auckland
2022 Heartbeat, Exhibition of traffic sign paintings, Koru Galleries, New Plymouth, Taranaki
2020 Threads of Touch, VIsual Arts Trail for the Harcourts Hawke's Bay Arts Festival with works at Muse Gallery, Boyd-Dunlop Gallery, Tennyson Gallery,
CAN Gallery, Arts Inc. Gallery, Keirunga Gardens Theatre, Hastings Opera House, Toi Toi Events Centre
2019 Signs, Exhibition of traffic sign paintings, curated by Warren Pringle, Auckland University of Technology
2018 The Digital and I Project, Artist Residency, exhibition and workshop, Green Bay High School, Auckland
2017 In Transit , Exhibition of traffic sign paintings, Franklin Arts Centre, Pukekohe / Auckland
2014 Conference of the Birds , Installation in public space: On and around Lopdell House Gallery, Titirangi Village, Off-site gallery in New Lynn/ Auckland
2013 The Mirror Mama Project, collaboration, East West Gallery/ Auckland
2012 Reflective, Orex Gallery / Auckland
2009 The Mirror Mama Project, collaboration, Hastings City Gallery /Hawkes Bay
2009 The Mirror Mama Project, collaboration, MAU Forum / Auckland
Funded by Creative Communities
2008 I AM painting installation, National Portrait Gallery / Wellington
2008 A Well Written Body, Exhibition and book launch, Aotea Centre / Auckland,
2007 I AM , painting installation, Lopdell house/ Waitakere City
2008 www .ambassadors.co.nz, Oedipus Rex Gallery, Auckland
2006 I AM, Oedipus Rex gallery/ Auckland
2005 Here Today, Oedipus Rex gallery /Auckland
2002 He Tangata, Gallery Ngano / Berlin
2001 Muttermal , Oedipus Rex Gallery/ Auckland
2001 Chrysalis , Oedipus Rex gallery, Auckland
2000 Body as door, Oedipus Rex /Auckland
1999 Malaga, Madd Gallery / Apia
1999 Present, Oedipus Rex Gallery,Auckland
1998 Lagona - Sea Beneath My Skin, Oedipus Rex Gallery- Auckland
1997 Sensha, Archill Gallery- Auckland
1993 Space- Within, Marylin Savill Gallery- Wellington
1992 Bewegung und Farben , Dresdner Bank , Isny , Germany
Selected Group Exhibitions
2025 Paritua Sculpture Trail, Bridge Pa, Hawkes bay
2024 The Figurative Collective - Boyd-Dunlop Gallery, Napier
2022 Heterodox Us- New Zealand Steel Gallery, Franklin Arts Centre, Auckland, Curated by Andy Leleisi'uao and Ben Bergman
2022 Sunday Girl - Corbans Art Estate, Curated by Leela Bhai
2021 Remembering Roy- Hastings Community Arts Centre during the Hawke's Bay Arts Festival.
Tribute Exhibition in memory of Roy Dunningham,
With works and tributes from 47 artist.
Curated by Delicia Sampero and John Eden.
2021 The Scent of Two Lands - Arthaus, Auckland
2021 Barrel Store Colony- Barrel store building- Corbans Art Estate, Auckland
2020 Adam Portraiture Award - Finalist- The New Zealand Portrait Gallery, Shed 11, Wellington and Touring Show
2020 TEMPORARY and Playing the Game, for Nomadic Art Gallery - Curated by Arthur Buerms and Eugenie Coche
2019 Sunday Girl - Corbans Art Estate, Curated by Leela Bhai
2018 The Kauri Project - Nathan Homestead, Titirangi, Auckland
2018 The Kauri Project - Arataki Visitors Centre,Titirangi, Auckland
2018 The Digital and I Project signs - Wildflower Sculpture exhibition, Hawkes Bay
2016 Playing the Game 2- Wildflower Sculpture exhibition, Hawkes Bay
2016 Transfiguration -Tasman Toyota, with Koru On Devon Gallery Collective, Taranaki
2014 Playing the Game- 10 th Biennial -Sculpture on the shore , Devonport / Auckland
2014 Conference of the Birds – Wildflower, Installation at Wildflower Sculpture exhibition, Hawkes Bay
2014 Matariki Manu Rere - Conference of the Birds - Installation at Matapihi Art Gallery and the Raglan Old School Art Centre, Raglan /Waikato
2013 TEMPORARY, Headlands- Sculpture on the Gulf Biennale, Waiheke Island
2012 East, Hawkes Bay Exhibition Centre, Hastings
2011 Hawkes Bay Invitational, Hawkes Bay Exhibition Centre, Hastings
2010 Hawkes Bay Invitational, Hawkes Bay Exhibition Centre, Hastings
1996 Back to Basics, Madd Gallery- Apia / Samoa
1994-1996 Theatre of Paint, Dija Gallery, co- owned with Davíd Khoury, James Smith Building, Wellington
1994 Backbone, Merylin Savill Gallery, Wellington
1995 Dual, The Vault Gallery, Wellington
1993 Space Between, City Limits, Wellington
WINNER of the The Merilyn Savill Young Artist of the Year Award
1993 Hawkes Bay Review, Hawkes Bay Museum, Napier
1990 The White-house Exhibition, Barreto residence, Honolulu Hawaii
1990 Hawkes Bay Review, Hastings City Gallery, Hastings
Collections
Works held in public and private collections including New Zealand Portrait Gallery, Wallace Arts Trust, Auckland University of Technology, Reef Shipping collection, Massey University, University of Samoa, World Bank Washington DC, Devon Hotel, Barretto, Ziegler, Volkmann, Michael Hill Collection, Jack and Trelise Cooper, Carol Hirschfeld, Lucy Lawless, David Blackmore, Koea family...
Awards
1994 Merylin Savill Award, Merlin Savill Gallery, Wellington
2019 The Deans Excellent Award, Arts and Design Department / Master of Cultural and Creative Practice / Auckland University of Technology.
2020 Adam Portraiture Award - Finalist- The New Zealand Portrait Gallery, Shed 11, Wellington and Touring Show
Touring Public Art Installations
Conference of the Birds
2012 McCahon House
2013 Sculpture on the Gulf, Pavilion
2014 Te Uru Gallery and Lopdell House, Auckland
2014 Matapihi gallery /Raglan
2015 Wildflower Exhibition / Hawkes Bay
2015 Arataki Visitors Centre
2018 Nathan Homestead Gallery
Temporary
2013 Headlands- Sculpture on the Gulf Biennale, Waiheke 2020
2020 -2021 Nomadic Art Gallery Tour of New Zealand
2021 Nomadic Art Gallery exhibition/ Corbans Art Centre / Auckland
The Mirror Mama Project
Collaboration with Master Crafts Artists- Mamas from the Pacific, Africa and the Middle East
2009 MAU Forum, Corbans Estate, Auckland
2009 Hastings City Gallery
2013 East West Gallery, Auckland
I AM
2006 Orex Gallery, Auckland CBD
2007 Lopdell House gallery, Titirangi, Auckland
2008 National Portrait Gallery, Wellington
2015 Hastings Community Art Centre
Selected Publications
Sampero's work has been published online, in books , calendars and magazines ( see Writing/ Press in drop down menu )
Art New Zealand
ART New Zealand Today, edited by E.M. Caughey
12 Contemporary New Zealand Artists , published by Saint Publishers...
Commissions & Collaborations for /with Poet Karlo Mila.
2012 Bookcover- Welcome to our world ?! –Paul Spoonley & Richard Bedford- Dunmore publishing
2010 Bookcover-New Zealand and international Migration, Digest and Bibliography- Massey university
2008 Book collaborator Mila K. & Sampero D., 2008, A Well Written Body
Book of painting and poetry ,Huia publishers, WGT.
2005 Book cover- Dream Fish Floating, written by Karlo MIla, published by Huia
2020 Catalogue for Threads of Touch
2019 The Digital and I Project - Tuwhera Open Access - Masters research project - dissertation author
openrepository.aut.ac.nz/items/507ef632-d984-4c4f-8538-97307c9aaf3e
Selected Dance Performances
1996-2002 Performer in MAU Dance company founded and directed by Lemi Ponifasio
(performer, photographer, costume, props)
1996 Illumina, Taki Rua Theatre, Wellington
1996 Lo’omatua, Maidment Theatre, Auckland
1996 The Ancient Mother, Madd Gallery , Apia, Samoa
1997 Aria, Sacred Hill Winery , Hawkes Bay
1998 Light. WOMAD, Auckland , New Zealand
1998 Ava, Maidment Theatre, Auckland
1999 Rise, Winter Garden, Auckland
1997 Sacred Hill, Taupo Festival
2001 Land, Tjibaou Cultural Centre, New Caledonia
2002 Boneflute Iviivi, Maidment Theatre, Auckland
2002 Boneflute, Adelaide Festival, Adelaide, Australia
2003 Paradise, (Costume )Sky City Theatre, Auckland
2006 Opus Dei, MAU Forum ,Auckland
2008 I am Tuhoe, Te Rewarewa Maree, Ruatoki, Urawera
2011. Le Savalii ( Voice performer) Berliner Festspiele, Berlin , Germany
2017 Die Gabe der Kinder - Hamburg, Theater der Welt, Germany
Selected Multimedia Projects
1994 Painter and performer Malipo'o Magnifico, Belboa Park, California
1990 Co-Initiator Artquake, Multimedia Art Event, Napier
1992 Author and Performer Thief of Dreams Multimedia production
-Hastings group theatre & Bats Theatre Wellington
1992 The Garden, Street-performances with Wale Ojo, Paris /Les Halles
1991 Enigma Streetdance Season with Lisa Hay, Guy MPondo, Frederic Dupuis, Paris (Pompidou, Les Halles, St Michell , Champs Elysee, Notre Dame)
Video Works published on Youtube
2013 Conference of the Birds
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nlKedar9CA
2014. Conference of the birds
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEtwLem-Bxk&t=2s
2016 Traffic to the Future
Online exhibition on you-tube, a curatorial project
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAdwCUWSWgk
2009 Artistic Film Director,
with HB Intercultural Youth Group, (full video: 40 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfZcby-Mfpw&t=8s
awarded certificates by Human Rights Commissioner Joris De Bres
2020 Threads of Touch
Boyd Dunlop Gallery
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J36NMhCc6tU&t=131s
2020 Threads of Touch / Ambassadors
Furnware Ambassador Programme Toitoi Opera House, Hastings, New Zealand Harcourts Hawke's Bay Arts Festival 2020
Threads of Touch is based on a participatory concept developed for the Festival by visual artist Delicia Sampero.
The performance was guided by Director Lisa-Jane Easter.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSAH7vJUnzw
Selected Teaching / Facilitation Projects
2020 The Ambassadors Youth Program, Threads of Touch, concept / dramaturg, directed by LJ Easter, Hastings Opera House, Hawkes Bay
2019 The Digital and I Project Youth Workshop, New Zealand Steel Gallery, Franklin Art Centre, Auckland
2018 The Digital and I Project, Artist Residency, exhibition and workshop, Green Bay High School, Auckland
2009 In the Shoes Of Another, Art And Film Project, with Hawkes Bay Intercultural Youth Group around exploring prejudices.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfZcby-Mfpw, Awarded with certificates from Joris de Bres / Human Rights Commission
2009 Portrait Painting Workshop, Individual portraits & group portraits, with Hawkes Bay Intercultural Youth Group
2009 Trash to Fashion, section winner, Laingholm Primary school project : The Giant Superhero Centipede costume
2006 -2008 Artist Talks and/ or workshops: Kelston Girls High School, Classics department, Massey University, Laingholm Primary, Studio workshops ...
2006 Celebrate Art NZ (interactiveeducationie.net.nz) Art / Educational Poster Initiative for schools : "Delicia Sampero"
1990 The Whitehouse Children's Exhibition, Painting and drawing workshop for children with a sell -out kids exhibition !