Arts of the Pacific Islands

by Anne D'Alleva

In this comprehensive survey of the art of the Pacific Islands, including the Melanesian, Polynesian, Micronesian, and New Guinean traditions, author Anne D’Alleva explains the significance of these artworks by contextualizing them within each island’s unique culture and practices. In the process, D’Alleva examines the biases of both artists and Western viewers, telling an important history of both people and ideas through a detailed analysis of sculpture, paintings, textiles, dance, jewelry, and architecture.

As these nations faced alternating periods of isolation, colonization, and contact with each other and the West, their forms of art were drastically altered to incorporate foreign influences and to develop autonomous identities and cultural independence. Therefore, their artistic practices explore the inherent tension between tradition and modernity within these communities. Ranging from the prehistoric period to the modern era, and accompanied by a timeline, bibliography, and glossary of terms, this book raises important questions for continued debate and study of the art of the Pacific Rim.

Genres: Art History, Art, Nonfiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1998

Reviews

[Khanh · Rating 3 out of 5]

skimmed

[Neil R. Coulter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arts of the Pacific Islands is a really nice concise tour of visual arts traditions from Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia. The layout is attractive, and the illustrations (which come from the major museums of the world) integrated into the design and the text. In explaining the artistic traditions, D'Alleva inevitably says as much about the cultural contexts in which those traditions developed. The chapter on New Guinea was a good review of ethnographic details I've learned in my years living in PNG; the chapters on other Pacific regions were fascinating for the new information I learned. I appreciated that D'Alleva regards the spiritual aspects of the cultural traditions as real and genuine. She doesn't belittle or explain away spiritual beliefs, suggesting that they are just make-believe, but is sensitive to what the local communities believe.

I had just finished reading through Eric Kjellgren's book on the Metropolitan Museum's Oceanic collection, and D'Alleva's book covers much of the same ground in an easy to read format. I would recommend this book as a general introduction to the arts and cultures of the Pacific.