Magnify/Collect:
Artist:
Olivia Pepa
Title:
Ngatu
Price:
Not For Sale
Year:
1999
Medium:
Size - (USA):
110 W x 150 H x 2 D (cm)
Size - (metric):
43.3 W x 59.1 H x 0.8 D (inches)
Theme:
Edition:
Original
Artwork ID:
122246
PDF Copy:
Artwork Description:
This artwork is dedicated to the ancient art-practice of bark cloth making in the Pacific. Generically known as tapa cloth in and around the Pacific, in Tonga bark cloth is known as ‘Ngatu’. The practice of bark cloth making has remained a tradition in Tonga. Tongan people are renown all over the Pacific to be the most prolific bark cloth makers, producing pieces which can reach lengths from 5 metres to over 100 metres. The artwork in front of you is part of a series of paintings which explore the concept of ‘context’. “I have included in this painting recognisable aspects of traditional ‘Ngatu’, such as the grid format, colour, the numbering structure (traditionally used for measurement), and the utilisation of common motifs such as the manulua. Today Ngatu is commonly perceived by western cultures mainly as a ‘tourist’ product, which can be labelled authentically Pacific. The commercialisation of the art-practice of Ngatu has led me to ask whether the art-practice is a continued tradition? or has it become something else? Personally I believe that the art-practice of Ngatu needs to be placed in its traditional context in order for the practice to be understood, respected, and appreciated in a genuine aesthetic sense.
Artwork Keywords:
Original Painting
