Transformation and Understanding
Developing a greater understanding and hence appreciation of Oceanic art is surely the aspiration of all readers of this Journal. The place from which each reader and viewer commences this voyage …
OAC Journal Cover Stories
Curiosity about the Pacific
Oceanic art and objects have travelled the world from the “Blue Continent”. Along the way they have been traded and stories about them have embellished their reputations and attracted new …
Personal encounters with objects
Creators, curators, collectors, students, visitors, audiences all have encounters with cultural objects both old and new. The new can be a celebration of the old or it can be a …
Touchstones of Culture
Some cultural artefacts or events become touchstones of a culture. The elaborate masks prepared for participation in the Fire Dance Ceremonies of the Central Baining in East New Britain, Papua …
Personal Encounters
Personal experiences and personal passions are a common theme in this edition. Everyone who attended his fascinating lecture for the Oceanic Art Society in October 2021, would be aware of …
At the intersection of ancient and contemporary
This edition of the Journal includes articles about the early encounters between European missionaries and Aboriginal Australians in Central Australia and European anthropologists and people from the Torres Strait and …
The Agile Art World
Being agile and pivoting are words long associated with innovation and the tech world. However, they are now commonly being used in the art world to describe the quick responses …
Diverse Studies of Individual Oceanic Art Objects
Oceanic art can be studied from a number of angles. This art can be approached from an anthropological or ethnographic aspect and from the perspective of art history or visual …
New places, new ways of engaging across cultures
The summer of 2020-2021 has seen the opening of some significant new or renovated/expanded museums from the east to the west coast in Australia. Those of us in Sydney have …
25 years of the OAS
Photo Caption: The 2012 OAS Forum at the SA Museum. Photo by Michelle Haywood. 2020 is a very significant milestone in the history of the Oceanic Art Society. As is outlined …
Oceanic art market in the time of COVID
This edition of the Journal features Barry Craig’s account of the Pacific collection at the new Wantok Place Museum in North Adelaide as well as Jim Elmslie’s story behind the recent sales with remarkable provenance of works from the Hermannsburg school in Central Australia. We’ve introduced a new feature, the President’s Corner, where Bill Rathmell interviewed Nick Mitzevich, Director of the National Gallery of Australia, following news reports of the deaccession of Pacific pieces from the collection.
OAS responds with flexibility during COVID-19
The worldwide virus lockdown has hit all aspects of art and culture particularly hard. Cultural spaces and gatherings are often run on a low budget and it is hard to …
Hongi Hika: The Legacy Continues
Modern research continues to reveal secrets long held in uncatalogued documents and artefacts in rich archives. The centrepiece of this edition is the story of current research to identify which …
Curiosity Remains a Driving Force
Image: Mathias Kauage ‘Independence Celebration 1999’, Andrew Baker Collection. Image by Mick Richards. The desire to know – curiosity – has long been a motivating force in human endeavour. In …
The Story Keeps Unfolding
With so much information available in the modern digital age it sometimes feels that we know, collectively, almost everything. In this edition Professor Ian McNiven shows us that this is …
Times Are A Changing
In this issue of the of the OAS Journal we are fortunate to have Dr Maia Nuku, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, chart the evolution of …
Collectors and Collections: OAS Forum 2019 a Triumph
The 2019 Oceanic Art Society Forum was an intellectual and emotional odyssey. Oceanic art represents and encompasses many things: sublime beauty and irresistible mystery; cultural treasure; markers of colonial dispossession …
A Successful Year – President’s Report on 2018
The Oceanic Art Society’s Annual General Meeting was held on 10th November at the Middle Harbour 16ft Skiff Club, Mosman NSW – a lovely venue on a sunny day. Twenty-one …
The Art of Collecting
By Jim Elmslie Oceanic Art means different things to different people. Made by indigenous peoples for traditional cultural and utilitarian practice, artefacts are now prized by many people far removed …
Different Ways of Seeing
by Jim Elmslie Oceanic art creates fascination on many levels. In this edition of the OAS Journal we look at two quite different ways of seeing traditional artefacts. To Dr. …
Art of the Prince Alexander Ranges at the NGA
by Crispin Howarth The Prince Alexander Ranges in northern Papua New Guinea are home to a number of cultures. The largest group are the Abelam with a population of some …
The Savage Club OAS Forum a Stunning Success
The OAS Forum, held at the Melbourne Savage Club on October 21st, was a fantastic success and the Victorian members of the OAS, especially Dr. Michael Martin, are to be …
Fijian Gods, The Fair and The Forum
After a very successful Tribal Art Fair Sydney, eyes, minds and tastebuds are turning eagerly toward Melbourne. This year’s OAS Forum is to be held at the iconic Savage Club, …
Oceanic Encounters Through Time and Space
This edition of the OAS Journal once again traverses through time and space exploring aspects of Pacific cultures, from the first contact made by Captain James Cook in Hawaii to …