Legends cafe & the Vanya Taule’alo gallery/VTG

* Logo
* Interior

The **Vanya Taule’alo gallery** is a company full of samoan paintings. It was founded by Pasifika artist Dr. Vanya Taule’alo and has been established in two different areas. First being in her home and then in Legends Cafe before being forced to move after going out of business in 2019.

## Description

The Vanya Taule’alo gallery has one of the most beautiful traditional samoan art. There is also some beautiful handcrafts & jewelry too. It applies & caters for selected pacific artists too.

The gallery has a constant display of stock artists, jewellery, handmade Samoan carved bowls & items, woven goods and Samoan tapa. It also stocks Pacific jewellry & handcrafts. 5 minutes from Apia, drive towards Moataa & turn left just before the Moataa Rugby field.

## Trivia

* They sell bags inside the gallery, made out of ground coffee bags & wrappers.

## News (on the news paper)

* “THE JOURNEY CREATES US & WE BECOME THE FRONTIERS THAT WE CROSS” 18/5/2015
* “KILI - MASTER CARVER LIVING IN PARADISE & ALWAYS ON DISPLAY AT THE VANYA TAULE’ALO GALLERY” 25/5/2015
* “THE SAMOA ARTS COUNCIL - BUILDING CAPACITY & REACHING SAC MEMBERS” 16/3/2015
* “THE OUTRIGGER HOTEL - TRANSPORTING YOU INTO A BYGONE AREA” 6/3/2015
* “BISTRO TATAU RESTURANT - A VEHICLE TO DISPLAY SAMOAN ART” 16/2/2015
* “MODERN-DAY TECHNOLOGY DEMANDS ARTISTIC AESTHETIC UNDERSTANDING IN OUR SCHOOLS and UNIVERSITIES.” 9/2/2015
* “SINALE REEF RESORT ENCOURAGING SAMOAN ARTISTIC EXPRESSION” 2/2/2015
* “ART FOR PUBLIC DISPLAY” 25/1/2015
* “ERNESTO COTER’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE ARTS IN SAMOA” 12/8/2014
* “SAMOAN ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE at the EDINBURGH FESTIVALS” 22/9/2014
* “A COMMUNITY SIDE EVENT DURING SIDS AND TEUILA AT THE VANYA TAULE’ALO GALLERY (part 1)” 1/9/2014
* “THE ARTS ARE VITAL” 18/8/2014
* “It takes a Family to make a Business Thrive” 28/7/2014
* “WHY WE NEED A SAMOA ARTS COUNCIL!” 7/7/2014
* “MARKS OF CIVILCIVILISATION-L’EMPREINTE DU TEMPS EXHIBITION” 26/5/2014
* “The Role of Cultural industries in the Samoan Economy” 17/3/2014
* “THE ENVIRONMENT IS ALSO ARTISTS’ BUISNESS” 24/3/2014
* ““A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS”… Napoleon Bonaparte” 10/3/2014
1/18
## Pets

In the gallery, there are some pet cats that pace around & get looked after.

## Reviews (from Tripadvisor)

### pandanuspalms

> ***"Don't miss it!"***
>
>

> ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
>
>

> Beautiful and original art from Samoa and the pacific. If you want a unique keepsake from your time in Samoa, this is the place to go. Vanya knows, supports, and promotes all the local artists on display in her gallery. Something to suit all tastes and budgets. The food and drinks at the cafe are as good if not better, than any restaurant (including resorts!) in Samoa. Highly recommended.
>
>

> Visited October 2016
>
>

### JohnnyChristchurch

> ***"Gallery treasures"***
>
>

> ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
>
>

> This gallery, which is only a 5 minute drive from down town Apia, is a real must for tourists. Close to the Taumeasina resort, it has a lovely outlook over the lagoon from the outdoor cafe, which is a pleasant stop after purchasing some treasures from Vanya inside the gallery. This gallery showcases the best of Samoan art and craft. It's in its great new location here - it's a "MUst See"
>
>

> Visited September 2016
>
>

### Richard J

> ***"Excellent gallery of Oceania arts"***
>
>

> ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
>
>

> Located on the outskirts of Apia, so that you have to take a short taxi ride, but worth it if you want to see a fine collection of painting, sculpture, and other arts and crafts from all over Oceania. We did find an interesting metal piece, so asked about shipping it. The clerk took our info since Vanya wasn't there, but Vanya never got back to us. Still, we enjoyed looking thru the gallery. They serve meals there too.
>
>

> Visited February 2016
>
>

### barbara19532015

> ***"Loved this gallery"***
>
>

> ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
>
>

> Went with a friend, loved Vanya and her gallery, lots to see, some very unique pieces from all over the pacific, the setting is beautiful, felt like we were in paradise.
>
>

> Visited November 2014
>
>

### JMarcelline

> ***"Pacific art at its best"***
>
>

> ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
>
>

> Vanya's is an excellent gallery to view the art works of leading Samoan and Pacific artistes and artisans from a range of genres (traditional and contemporary) and media (tapa, siapo, wood, stone, shark and whale bone). As are the artworks, the jewellery and craft displayed are mostly unique and one-off pieces.
>
>

> The gallery is part of her beautiful home and garden- architecture and landscape which draws on Pacific architectural desciplines (brainchild of Vanya's husband) and love of nature.
>
>

> All of the above and Vanya, with her knowledge of Pacific life and culture, makes evert visit a very memorable experience.
>
>

> It is around 15 minutes from Apia centre- ensure that you have a map in hand and before leaving, request your hotel staff to speak with the taxi-driver and confirm directions. It is not difficult to find as there are large sign posts (one large black and red) on the key roads (towards airport) and turn-offs but taxis are prone to losing their way.
>
>

> Visited April 2014
>
>

### GlenelgRocks

> ***"Fantastic art gallery"***
>
>

> ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
>
>

> We found the gallery a bit hard to find, although to Vanya's credit there are large signs at the bottom of the roads leading up to the gallery. Although we were outside the Mon. Wed. Fri. opening, we went to the Information Centre in Apia and they rang her and she was only to happy to open for us. Vanya was very informative and unpretentious regarding the local art. We loved our experience there.
>
>

> Visited July 2014
>
>

### Catherine K

> ***"High quality Samoan art not available elsewhere"***
>
>

> ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
>
>

> If this gallery were located closer to downtown Apia, I suspect that Vanya Taule'alo would have a difficult time keeping it stocked. I saw art work there that I haven't seen anywhere else in Samoa: high quality traditional Samoan art -- paintings, carvings, tapa, jewellery -- alongside equally high quality contemporary pieces that place Samoan artists at the forefront of developments in Pacific art. This gallery is unique in Samoa: nothing is mass produced, everything is a one-of-a-kind. The designs are exquisite. And Vanya is a gallery owner like no other: knowledgeable and discerning about what she shows in the gallery, and an artist of unparalleled talent herself. Although I would like to see the gallery more centrally located so more people can benefit from access to it, the current location is no less than magical.
>
>

> Visited November 2013
>
>

### Julia T

> ***"A wonderful contemporary cultural experience"***
>
>

> ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
>
>

> We visited the Vanya Taule'alo gallery on our last trip to Apia and it was a fantastic experience. She has an amazing selection of Samoan based and New Zealand based Samoan artists. Actually she had works on display from some of the true of the "heavy weights" of the contemporary Pacific Island arts scene, as well as works from lesser known and emerging artists. She herself is a rich repository of knowledge on the subject of the visual arts, as well as being an engaging and enjoyable host. It is great to visit Apia and to be able to dip into such a cultural experience.
>
>

> Visited June 2012
>
>

### HappyFella2

> ***"A great Art Gallery"***
>
>

> ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
>
>

> I recently visited the Vanya Taule'ao Art Gallery during my stay in Apia. Vanya picked me from our hotel and it was about a 15 min drive to the gallery set in a landscaped garden near the hills.
>
>

> Vanya has a huge knowledge about Pacific Art, being both an artist herself, the gallery director and also a lecturer for 30 years.
>
>

> The gallery has a large range of original contemporary art work from large pieces to small, coming from both local and other Pacific countries. I loved the exquisitely carved bowls, and there was a good range of hand made high quality jewellery. There are sculptures in the garden.
>
>

> Anybody with an interest in high quality art and crafts will enjoy their time at the gallery and talking with Vanya.
>
>

> Visited May 2012
>
>

## External links

* https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attraction\_Review-g312868-d3183761-Reviews-The\_Vanya\_Taule\_alo\_Gallery-Apia\_Upolu.html
* http://www.samoa.travel/activity/the-vanya-taulealo-gallery
* https://www.lonelyplanet.com/samoa/apia/attractions/vanya-taulealo-gallery/a/poi-sig/1529487/1005170
* http://www.samoaobserver.ws/en/08\_02\_2016/local/2152/Passions---Paintings--Prints-by-Vanya-Taule’alo.htm
* https://vanyataulealo.wordpress.com
* http://www.polynesianairlines.com/offers/the-vanya-taulealo-gallery/
* https://www.inspirock.com/samoa/apia/the-vanya-taule-alo-gallery-a8120984287
* http://www.spla.pro/en/file.organization.the-vanya-taule-alo-gallery.13311.html