New Traditions: contemporary art of Vanuatu aimed to convey the connections and differences between Vanuatu’s traditional art practice and its newer form, the work of members of the Nawita Association of Contemporary Artists.
New Traditions Exhibitions
New Traditions: contemporary art of Vanuatu aimed to convey the connections and differences between Vanuatu’s traditional art practice and its newer form, the work of members of the Nawita Association of Contemporary Artists.
Vanuatu, formerly the New Hebrides, stretching over 1,000 miles from just south of the Solomon Islands to just north of New Caledonia, is a linguistic and cultural goldmine. The approximately 180,000 ni-Vanuatu living on 80 of the nation’s 86 islands speak 113 distinct languages, the highest number of languages per head of population in the world.
This linguistic diversity is matched by a long tradition of brilliant art production, from the lapita pots of the first settlers - some 3,000 years ago - to the ceremonial headdresses and monumental wooden tamtam drums still made today.
New Traditions: contemporary art of Vanuatu comprised the work of ten contemporary ni-Vanuatu artists, commissioned to produce a work of art based on one of ten periods in Vanuatu’s history, and twenty traditional art works, most made within the last three years.
Vanuatu’s traditional artistic practice has been joined in the last 30 or so years by a newer form of artistic practice, that art produced by artists using the whole range of “modern” materials - art paper, paints, cotton and glazes - as well as the traditional tapa, clay and wood.
New Traditions: contemporary art of Vanuatu comprised the work of ten contemporary ni-Vanuatu artists, commissioned to produce a work of art based on one of ten periods in Vanuatu’s history, and twenty traditional art works, most made within the last three years.
WHERE THE EXHIBITION WAS DISPLAYED
Vanuatu Cultural Centre, Port Vila 27 September – 31 October 1999
Porirua Museum of Arts & Cultures, Wellington 9 December 1999 – 20 February 2000
Canterbury Museum, Christchurch 9 March - 7 May 2000
The Science Centre & Manawatu Museum, Palmerston North 19 May – 27 August 2000
National Maritime Museum, Auckland 15 September – 5 November 2000
Waikato Museum of Art & History, Hamilton 8 December 2000 – 4 February 2001
University of Queensland Art Museum, Brisbane 8 June – 8 July 2001
The Drill Hall Gallery, ANU, Canberra 8 November – 16 December 2001
The Australian Museum, Sydney 22 December 2001 – 31 March 2002
Artist Theme, works Sponsor
Eric Natuoivi Origins (2) Pacific Arts Foundation
Sylvester Bulesa Darkness Time (2) S & R Hardy-Pickering
Moses Jobo Missionisation (2) Eileen Campbell & John Block
Aloi Pilioko Blackbirding (1) Nicolai Michoutouchkine
Michael Busai Blackbirding (1) Australian High Commission
Joseph John World War II (1) British High Commission
Juliette Pita Independence (2) ANZ
Ralph Regenvanu Development after Independence (1) Martin Browne
Sero Kuautonga The Future (1) Jean-Christophe & Aline Galipaud
Emmanual Watt no theme (2) Michel & Genevieve Lardy
TamTam (1) Caroline McDonald & Simon Mark
Banks head-dress and Ambae mats Sarah Rennie and Michael Wright
OTHER ARTIFACTS AND INFORMATION IN THE EXHIBITION
Art and Artifacts
- 15 art works (listed above)
- 1 Ambrym tamtam drum (included above as it was commissioned)
- 3 head-dresses: Malakula, Banks, Ambrym
- 3 Wusi clay pots
- 3 Pentecost baskets
- 4 Ambae mats
- 2 canoe prows
- 1 circumcision board
- 3 pig-killing clubs
Information and promotional materials
- Didactic panels, information labels and videos
- Catalogue and two-sided A4 size fliers
- Education kit
- Large PVC banner for use on outside of venue
- Arts of Vanuatu (high quality 340 page seminal publication the art, customs, history and culture of Vanuatu)
Basket weaving is a traditional handicraft of Vanuatu. A wide variety of basket styles are still made and used throughout the country. Soft woven pandanus baskets with long shoulder straps are common and different regions have unique styles. A firmer pandanus basket is made by women on Lelepa and some other islands. Bamboo wicker baskets with handles are made in the northern region of Vanuatu. Uses of the baskets are many and varied.