Interview by Jim Elmsie | Photo Caption: Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Moai Kavakava, 18th-mid 19th century. Wood, bone, obsidian. Private Australian collection.
Jim Elmsie: Warren Campbell, can you explain what Bubble Art is and how it operates?
WC: For me, the name ‘Bubble’ captures the diversity of tribal cultures, and the fragility of those cultures in the technological world of today. Although most cultures are now highly influenced by technology; physical, educational and economic barriers continue to allow for cultural isolation. This form of isolation changes how technological influences are perceived. We may be watching the same television show, but our world view alters the way we interpret the story line. These new ‘Bubbles’ will continue to influence the evolution of Oceanic arts and culture as well as that of the Western world.
Bubbles drift, collide, burst and merge, one into another. Just as fashion, food, warfare, and spirituality have been influenced by cultural exchange, so has art. Art reflects the spirituality of a culture. It is the symbolism and meaning behind a work of art that intrigues us. Craftsmanship is also important, and the combination of a skillfully crafted piece with spiritual or symbolic meaning evokes emotion and creates a masterpiece. This is the reason Bubble Artefacts exists.
JE: How long have you been involved in Oceanic art and how did you first come in contact with it?
WC: I have been drawn to Ethnographic Arts most of my adult life. Travelling to Europe to explore my own family history in Scotland and England led me to the fascinating collections in museums all over Europe and the U.K. I followed my European adventure by heading to Canada and living on Vancouver Island, where I was exposed to a celebration of old and new Haida, Coast Salish and Nuu-chah-nulth art and culture. On returning to Australia, I began collecting my own curio cabinet of oddities that struck me as beautiful or unusual. I have been lucky enough to come across many colorful individuals who had lived and worked in Papua New Guinea in the 1960’s and 70’s and were downsizing personal collections they had gathered during their time overseas. I was amazed at how even the humblest artefacts were intricately decorated and skillfully crafted. A collection of arrows, where each arrow was finely carved and painted with earth pigments, long-beaked echidna quills secured to the shaft with woven plant fibres, and sharp bone tips individually sculpted. Why were these hunting implements so carefully decorated? I had to know more. I started exploring these indigenous cultures at our doorstep: the people, the legends, spiritual beliefs, the basis for this artistic expression, and the impact the modern world is having on these cultures. From then on, my passion just grew. It continues to take me on a fascinating journey, chasing this desire to protect and promote the incredible indigenous cultures of Oceania as they navigate and absorb global influences.
JE: What is it about Oceanic art that is so intriguing? Has your feeling for it changed over time with more exposure?
WC: I think that what amazes me now is the sheer variety within the artform. Take a mask for example; often a depiction of a human or human-like spirit figure. The multitude of creative ways the features can been abstracted and still be interpreted as a face is fascinating – from grotesque mud masks, to bulbous and haunting Boiken, to the fierce Tatanua or gracefully painted Tambanum spirit masks – just to name a few. The other thing that intrigues me is how these masks have been designed to evoke emotion. And even though Western Culture and background is so different, we respond emotionally to these pieces – touching on an aspect of the art that transcends cultural differences and finds a shared human-ness. When I touch and look at these pieces, I feel a connection to its culture and history.
JE: Is there a particular area or genre of Oceanic art to which you are particularly drawn?
WC: Not really. I think I am just drawn to individual pieces themselves and the story they tell. Whether it is a shield with arrow tips embedded into its surface with underpainting and incised patterns visible from years of use, or a smooth and flowing Yipwon figure that takes on the curves of the branch it was carved from, yielding to its natural form as if the figure was drawn out of the wood. How can you prefer one over the other? They are both interesting objects that invoke thought, emotion and a sense of adventure; the exotic.
JE: How do you see the market now and where do think it will head in the coming years?
WC: I think now it is about bridging the gap between generations and sparking interest in preserving fading cultures in the onslaught of technological connectivity and the global culture. Technology is the future and harnessing it as a tool to support and promote those things we find worth saving is the goal. How can we ensure that the cultures producing these authentic and emotive artworks continue to evolve their unique signatures? The art is more about the object itself and the skill of the artist rather than about the person who buys or sells it. The most important thing is the integrity of the object itself. Beauty is truth. How do we develop the next generation of Master Carvers, give them the status they deserve and hone the markets to sensitively support this growth? That is my ultimate aim. I continue to work with my wonderful brata’s, sista’s, families and friends in New Guinea and advocate for their amazing arts and culture. I have many ideas in the pipeline to continue to bring these works to the Western world and am enjoying the journey it continues to take me on.