Paperskin: barkcloth across the Pacific - Queensland Art Gallery

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Masi (and detail) late 19th century Fiji Barkcloth, dye 170.5 x 191cm / A.H. Turnbull Collection. Presented by the Trustees of the Turnbull Estate, 1918 / Collection: Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa eNDNOTes 1 A Maori term for sacred space or place. 2 Fuataimi literally means ‘to measure time’, and refers to a person who guides both dance and music, conducting the choir as it accompanies the dancers with singing and movement. 3 ironically, tapa is a samoan term, which refers to undecorated barkcloth. 4 There are various regional styles, as well as individual variations in Fiji. 5 Arjun Appadurai (ed.), The Social Life of Things: Commodities in Cultural Perspective, Cambridge university Press, Cambridge, uK, 1986, p.57. 6 Paula Chan Cheuk, interview with author, Auckland, 1999. 7 Jackie leota-ete, ‘Te Papa buys unique wedding dress’, in New Zealand Weddings: The Complete Guide, starlight Publications, Christchurch, 1998. 8 robert Friedel, ‘some matters of substance’, in s lubar and W David Kingery (eds), History from Things: Essays on Material Culture, smithsonian institution Press, Washington DC, 1993, p.46. 9 Nina Nawalowalo, brochure for Vula, The Conch, Wellington, undated, p.5. 10 Faye Ginsburg, ‘indigenous media: Faustian contract or global village?’ in Cultural Anthropology: Journal for the Society of Cultural Anthropology, vol.6, no.1, 1991, p.104. 11 Toga is a category of exchange valuables. 12 roger Neich, ‘Processes of change in samoan arts and crafts’, in P.J.C. Dark (ed.), Development of the Arts in the Pacific [occasional papers], no.1, Pacific Arts Association, National Museum, Wellington, 1983, pp.42–6. 31
32 Marsang Papua New Guinea, b.1918 Kairak Baining people, East New Britain Province Siviritki 1974 Barkcloth, dye, felt pen, natural fibre, wood and cane / Two components: 160 x 45.5 x 50cm (mask); 97cm (fibre) / Collected by Harold Gallasch, 1974 / Collection: Queensland Museum The Pacific perspective on the Queensland Museum: tradition is present in the past and here in the present Imelda Miller barkcloth brings together sculpture, music, art, dance, ceremony and story. everything in the ‘Paperskin’ exhibition is part of somebody’s story about their identity and connection to place. The barkcloths and sculptures have their own stories, which exist as the past, in the present and for the future. in this exhibition we can liken the collected barkcloths to a favourite novel — albeit one that is all middle without the beginning or the end, or all beginning and end without the middle. Consider that the words from a wise storyteller’s mouth become the story written on the pages of this book, dance and music become the beautiful illustrations, and the ceremony is the experience of reading from it. sometimes, we go back to our favourite pages because something in the present that has changed the way we think. When we revisit those pages, there are always more lessons to be learnt about the story being told. Museums collect and preserve evidence in the form of objects and information about them. in doing so, museums also collect parts of culture and build stories. Museum collections tell us about the cultural and physical environments in which objects originated, their many uses, and the skill, status and mark of the maker. As time passes and attitudes change, more indigenous peoples across the world are accessing collections held in institutions to reconnect and bring to life these objects to tell stories about the person, the people, the community, and their connection to place in the past and the present. Queensland Museum has been collecting for nearly 150 years. its Pacific collection has approximately 26 000 objects and 4000 historical photographs, and its large collection of barkcloths display a balance between masculine and feminine, old and new. Queensland is strongly connected to the people in the Pacific, particularly Melanesia. Melanesia includes the Torres strait islands, Papua New Guinea, the solomon islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Fiji. From 1884, responsibility for british New Guinea 33
Page 1 and 2: 2 Paperskin Barkcloth across the Pa
Page 3 and 4: Contents Foreword 6 Tony ellwood /
Page 5 and 6: Preface Nicholas Thomas since the e
Page 7 and 8: information in barkcloth designs is
Page 9 and 10: for the four-metre-high, three-pron
Page 11 and 12: ACKNOWleDGMeNT i would like to ackn
Page 13 and 14: Traffic in ideas and cultural mater
Page 15: in New Zealand, people share a rang
Page 19 and 20: y this crocodile barkcloth of their
Page 21 and 22: 40 Nerry Keme Papua New Guinea b.19
Page 23 and 24: Barkcloth 19th century Papua New Gu
Page 25 and 26: Barkcloth unknown Papua New Guinea
Page 27 and 28: Lepau 19th century Ihilland Solomon
Page 29 and 30: Barkcloth 19th century Papua New Gu
Page 31 and 32: 60 Stella Upia Papua New Guinea b.1
Page 33 and 34: 64 Siapo mamanu c.1905 Samoa Barkcl
Page 35 and 36: Mask unknown Papua New Guinea Oroko
Page 37 and 38: List of works 1 Dating of works in
Page 39 and 40: Selected bibliography Bonnemaison,
Page 41: Authors Maud Page Maud Page took up

Paperskin: barkcloth across the Pacific - Queensland Art Gallery

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?