From the remote shores of Rapa Nui to the dense rainforest of Papua New Guinea, the islands of the Pacific are home to some of the most culturally diverse populations on the planet. The region embraces an extraordinary range of art forms, from delicate shell ornaments to spectacularly decorated canoes and meeting houses. These have fascinated outsiders since the exploratory voyages of Captain Cook, the first of which commenced 250 years ago in 1768, and went on to entrance Gauguin and a host of other European artists. This volume accompanies a major survey in London and Paris of art from Oceania. It brings together the most up-to-date scholarship by the leading experts in the field, encompassing a dazzling array of objects from the region, including many that have never been published before. Also included are many works that have historically been overlooked, such as painted and woven textiles, elaborate wicker assemblages and expressively sculpted vessels, alongside works by artists working in Oceania today. Objects of great aesthetic beauty, these artworks are the product of a complex web of social, mythological and historical influences.

Accompanies exhibitions at the Royal Academy of Arts, London (29 September - 10 December 2018) and the Musee du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac, Paris (February - May 2019) Marks the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook's first voyage to the South Pacific

About the Author

Peter Brunt is Senior Lecturer in Art History at Victoria University of Wellington. Nicholas Thomas is Director of the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge. Noelle M. K. Y. Kahanu is a Native Hawaiian curator, artist, filmmaker and scholar. Emmanuel Kasarherou is Deputy Director of the Department of Heritage and Collections at musee du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac, Paris. Sean Mallon is Senior Curator of Pacific Cultures at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Michael Mel is Manager for Pacific and International Collections at the Australian Museum, Sydney. Dame Anne Salmond DBE is Professor of Maori Studies at the University of Auckland.

Awards
Winner of International Tribal Art Book Prize 2018.



Book Information
ISBN 9781910350492
Author Peter Brunt
Format Hardback
Page Count 328
Imprint Royal Academy of Arts
Publisher Royal Academy of Arts
Weight(grams) 2090g