The colours & patterns of the art of the Pacific Islands
- spears & shields, carved canoe prows, feather capes or tortoisehell ornaments
- have interested Western audiences since the voyages of Captain Cook & Bougainville. Oceanic art in particular, had an influence on the development of the European modernist movement, influencing artists such as Gauguin, Picasso, Giacometti & Kirchner. Until recently, the tendency in the West has ben to view the art of Oceania as ”primitive”, mysterious, shrouded in taboo. Nicholas Thomas, in this survey, goes beyond this view to discover the meaning & significance of art for the people of the Pacific. While each region has certain art forms & practices that characterize it
- the ancestral carvings of Maori & Sepik ceremonial houses; rituals of exchange & warfare in the Soloman Islands; body art in Polynesia; & women`s art forms, such as barkcloth
- Oceanic art as a whole is continually being shaped by cross-cultural stimuli within the Pacific & beyond, combining local motifs & materials with new styles & techniques. The illustrations cover the works that evoke the most deep-rooted customs to those which address contemporary political issues.