Book Description

4e de couv.: Considered one of the most significant and comprehensive assemblages of Polynesian works, the Blackburn Collection of Polynesian Art contains objects from nearly every area of Polynesia from Hawaii to Rapa Nui (Easter Island) to Aotearoa (New Zealand), and the many islands in between. The traditional forms are both ceremonial and functional from delicate ivory ornaments and finely textured barkcloth to formidable weaponry and imposing sculpture in coral, wood, and stone. Adrienne L. Kaeppler sets the Blackburn Collection of Polynesian Art the larger context of Polynesian cultural and artistic traditions in her illustrated introduction and suite of essays featuring significant objects from the collection. Selected paintings, drawings, engravings, photographs, documents, and medals related to Polynesia provide additional cultural and historical context. Following the essay is a fully illustrated catalog of the collection organized by island area. In Polynesia, the visual arts and associated objects serve as physical representations of the underlying aesthetic, social, and religious aspects of island cultures. In some cases, the eloquent objects here may be all that remain of once-vibrant traditions.