The aim of the Oceanic Art Society is to further the understanding and appreciation of Oceanic art. The focus is on the traditional and contemporary art of the indigenous peoples of Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia and Australasia. We hold regular presentations and seminars, and an annual Forum; we publish a quarterly Journal and send free newsletters to interested subscribers, worldwide.
OAS Journal Stories.
The latest stories, reviews and more from the Oceanic Art Society Journal – published quarterly.
Representation and misrepresentation in ethnographic film: the case of Cannibal Tours — Part II
by Ross Bowden The documentary Cannibal Tours, by the self-described ‘existential anarchist’ Australian film maker Dennis O’Rourke, has had a significant impact on the anthropological world since it was released almost …
Museums Victoria Storage Facility
by Margaret Cassidy Thirty attendees of the Oceanic Art Society Forum 2023 had the good fortune to join one of three small group tours of the stored Oceanic collections housed …
Joost Daalder (1939 – 2023)
by Kajetan Fiedorowicz, Melbourne Joost Daalder was born in the Netherlands and studied at Amsterdam, Cambridge and Edinburgh Universities before moving to New Zealand with his wife Truus in 1966 …
Tidal Kin: Stories from the Pacific, Chau Chak Wing Museum, University of Sydney
What this fascinating and informative exhibition shows is that Pacific Islanders have been visiting the Sydney area since the days of the Endeavour, sharing their rich cultures and artistic practices.
Vincent Namatjira: Australia in Colour
Adelaide lays claim to being at the heart of Australian Aboriginal art with its annual Tarnanthi (come forth and appear) Fair including exhibitions at the Art Gallery of South Australia, other galleries across Adelaide and art fair, featuring the work from over 40 art centres across Australia.
Maḏayin: Eight Decades of Australian Bark Paintings from Yirrkala – Waltjaṉ ga Waltjaṉbuy Yolŋuwu Miny’tji Yirrkalawuy
2022, 352 pages, edited by Wukuṉ Waṉambi, Henry Skerritt and Kade McDonald, published by Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA and Delmonico Books, New York, …
Art and Creativity in a Guinea Society:The Kwoma in Cross-Cultural Perspective
This book really is a “must read” for those of us whose interest in Oceanic or any other kind of Indigenous art is primarily aesthetic and not underpinned by much, if any, anthropological or art-history expertise.
Latest News
Sydney Oceanic Art Fair – 29 October
The Sydney Oceanic Art Fair 2023 at the Cooee Art Leven Gallery was very successful with access to some wonderful art and traders.
‘Tidal Kin’ Exhibition, Sydney.
‘Tidal Kin’ – Stories from the Pacific at the Chau Chak Wing Museum from 7 October 2023 until October 2024.
Australian Museum: Bilas
Witness the beauty and diversity of body adornment and decoration from Papua New Guinea in this stunning exhibition featuring photographs by Wylda Bayrón and a selection of objects from the world-renowned Pacific cultural collections of the Australian Museum.
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The aim of the Oceanic Art Society is to further the understanding and appreciation of Oceanic art. The focus is on traditional tribal art including contemporary art of the indigenous people of Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia and Australasia. Provide your support and become a member for accessing to premium content, event discounts and other benefits.