New Guinea: What I Did and What I Saw
by Barry Craig My first experience of New Guinea was at Telefomin 1962-1965. I had graduated with a degree in Social Anthropology at University of Sydney 1960, gained a Diploma …
OAS Journal | Online
A Short History of the Tribal Art Market
by Antony JP Meyer It all began with the discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus in 1492 at the very end of the 15th century when he met with …
Masterpieces of Oceanic Art from the Todd Barlin Collection during OAS Forum February 2019
by Todd Barlin A passion for collecting over 40 years will showcase not only Oceanic Art but also Artworks from SE Asia, Tibet and Japan. The small group tours will …
Oceania: Royal Academy of Arts, London, 29 September to 10 December 2018
by Michael Martin The Royal Academy in London is holding a major exhibition of the art of the Pacific from the 29th September to the 10th December 2018. Entitled “Oceania”, …
The Elizabeth Pryce Collection on Centre Stage in Paris
Elizabeth (Beth) Pryce is well known to Oceanic art lovers throughout Australia and around the world. A founding member of the OAS and inaugural Secretary, Elizabeth is one of the …
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 …
New Guinea: What I Did and What I Saw
Wednesday 19 September – OAS Lecture, 6:30pm, Australian Museum. Barry Craig will be presenting an illustrated talk on: New Guinea: What I Did and What I Saw I went to …
Ninth OAS Forum in Sydney
Aboriginal and Pacific art: Collections and artists, then and now. OAS in conjunction with the Art Gallery of New South Wales and Australian Museum, 1-3 February 2019 After the stunning …
Aesthetics of New Guinea Art – Part II
Lecture by Michael Hamson, Savage Club, Melbourne, 21 October 2017 This article continues on from Part One which appeared in the last edition of the OAS Journal where Mr. Hamson …
The Sam and Sharon Singer Collection of Oceanic Art
Based on a presentation by Sam Singer at the OAS Savage Club Forum, 2017 I want to thank OAS for bringing all of us, scholars, collectors, museums, dealers, and auction …
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. …
The Social Life of Aboriginal Breastplates: Encoded Objects of Colonisation
By Angel Bottaro The preservation of Aboriginal breastplates, with a degree of empathetic imagination, evoke powerful stories of colonisation. The physical weight of the objects around one’s neck and the …
SAWIYANO: Life in the East Sepik Province
Betni Kalk is a professor of Design at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. As the daughter of missionaries, Betni grew up in the East Sepik Province in Sawiyano territory. She …
Aesthetics of New Guinea Art
Lecture by Michael Hamson, Savage Club, Melbourne, 21 October 2017 Introduction Aesthetics by definition are subjective — being one’s response to and appreciation of beauty. That subjective dimension becomes even …
Interview: Dr. Michael Mel
Jim Elmslie talks with the West Pacific Collection Manager from the Australian Museum about his life and the concept he has developed of museums being a Ples Namel– or middle …
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 …
Interview with Paula Latos-Valier
Paula Latos-Valier is the Art Director for the Sir William Dobell Art Foundation and chairs the Gallery Advisory Committee for the SH Ervin Gallery. She serves as Vice President of …
A Canoe Named Ealamai’iea, or Patience ©
By John Greenshields of Adelaide, South Australia I took this photo of Joseph Ayodila at the Milne Bay Canoe and Drum Festival on Alotau, Papua New Guinea, in 2014. I …
Jens Bjerre – Danish Adventurer
by Leif Birger Holmstedt At the end of the Second World War the Danish travel ban ceased and the door had opened to the wider world. Jens Bjerre, a budding …
Vale Jim Sinclair
James (Jim) Sinclair CSM OBE D.Litt, passed away in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast on 9 October 2017. Jim Sinclair was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1992, an …
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 …
Navigating for a ples namel: Between the Museum, Collections, and Communities
Saturday 11 November 2017 – OAS Lecture as part of our AGM. 10:00am registration, AGM 10:30am, 11:00am lecture in The Australian Museum. Michael A. Mel will be presenting an illustrated …
Dr Hugh Gallagher
Vale Dr Hugh Gallagher OAS is sad to announce the passing of another of its founding members who remained with us until the last, Dr Hugh Gallagher, 29.09.1929 – 12.09.2017. …
David Tribe
Vale David Tribe OAS mourns the loss of one of its founding and staunchest members, David Tribe, OAS Member number 66, who passed away in Sydney 30 May 2017 aged …