Gods, ghosts and men - The art of the Pacific

Last Updated: 17 October 2008

This sculpture, discovered in a cave during the early 1960s, is one of the earliest known Pacific works of art, made more than 3500 years ago. [Penny McClintock, ABC News]

This sculpture, discovered in a cave during the early 1960s, is one of the earliest known Pacific works of art, made more than 3500 years ago. [Penny McClintock, ABC News]

A new exhibition at Australia's National Gallery of Art aims to make Australia more aware of the rich culture of some of its nearest Pacific neighbours.

It has been collecting dust for years - hidden away in Australia's National Art Gallery in Canberra.

But now, as Radio Australia's Michael Cavanagh reports examples of just over 2000 pieces of Pacific art are to go on display at the gallery in the 'Gods, ghosts and men' exhibition.

The Australian art gallery has made a name for itself by staging major exhibitions of art from around the world, as well as maintaining permanent displays of local and overseas works.Listen:

However up until now the varied collection of Pacific art has rarely seen the light of day.

This is despite what the gallery's Director Ron Radford says has been a long awareness of the region's rich offerings.

"And in January 1969 Sir William Dargie the gallery's future chairman embarked on the first of three expeditions to Papua New Guinea. He had been stationed there during the war. Results of these arduous expeditions concluded because there were three expeditions beginning between 1969 and 1970 laid the foundations for the gallery's very considerable Pacific arts collection," he said.

Crispin Howarth is responsible for deciding on the 75 pieces to be displayed, which vary from a Vanuatu stone mortar believed to be between three and eight thousand years old to contemporary pieces.

"This exhibition is a way for the younger generation of Australians to start appreciating and recognising, and even becoming influence by the arts from the Pacific region, which for so long in Australia have hidden from sight" he said.

"Times and focus have changed - in the 1960s there was a push to show Pacific art, but at the time it was known as primitive art, because it was the work of tribal communities, indigenous communities. It was seen at a different angle, as a touchstone for Western artists.

"The works shown in this collection vary from the Ambum stone, which is one of the oldest known works from the whole Pacific, right through to a work by Matthew Salle, a new Islander from Papua New Guinea, whose work he made in 2004."

Artworks on display include the 'Six to six' shield, the Orator's Stool, and the War or hunting trumpet. [National Gallery of Australia]

Artworks on display include the 'Six to six' shield, the Orator's Stool, and the War or hunting trumpet. [National Gallery of Australia]

Mr Howarth says it's impossible to try and represent every community and every art style right across the Pacific.

"So, it's a matter of selecting things for their visual impact - we are a fine art gallery - we're not a museum, we don't show anthropology. And so much in the past, art from the Pacific has fallen into the trap of being looked at as anthropological specimens."

Mr Howarth also says the collection was compiled and displayed with an awareness of the cultural sensitivities involved.

"We organised actually for our Maori collection of art from New Zealand, every work was blessed prior to display. The tapu, the rituals were undertaken to lift the tapu on the works so then they were enabled to be shown publicly. We're in close contact with many communities - for instance the Vanuatu works, the Rambaramp figure, we contacted the originating community and sought permission prior to display.

"So it's shown with pride of the community - the community is quite proud that their works are being shown so far away from their country. It's a great status thing.

"But as for sensitivities as well, some objects of a secret and sacred nature, of course we would never show. Objects which involve human remains, if we were not given permission to show, we would never show. And there are other objects that are of an arcane nature, but the knowledge and information behind them has been slowly lost over the 20th century.

"The definition of culture changes - now that's more into a museum realm than an art gallery - but all cultures change."



This feature is based on a piece originally broadcast on Radio Australia's Pacific Beat program on Wednesday, October 15.