Polynesia - The Mark and Carolyn Blackburn Collection of Polynesian Art
Polynesia - The Mark and Carolyn Blackburn Collection of Polynesian Art
Adrienne L. Keppler
Distributed by the University of Hawai’i Press
Considered one of the most significant and comprehensive assemblages of Polynesian works, the Blackburn Collection of Polynesian Art contains objects from nearly every area of Polynesia–from Hawai’i to Rapa Nui (Easter Island) to Aotearoa (New Zealand), and the many islands in between. The traditional forms are both ceremonial and functional–from delicate ivory ornaments and finely textured barkcloth to formidable weaponry and imposing sculpture in coral, wood, and stone.
Adrienne L. Keppler sets the Blackburn Collection of Polynesian Art into the larger context of Polynesian cultural and artistic traditions in her illustrated introduction and suite of essays featuring significant objects from the collection. Selected paintings, drawings, engravings, photographs, documents, and medals related to Polynesia provide additional cultural and historical context. Following the essays is a fully illustrated catalog of the collection organized by island area.
In Polynesia, the visual arts and associated objects serve as physical representations of the underlaying aesthetic, social, and religious aspects of island cultures, In some cases, the eloquent objects here may be all that remain of once vibrant traditions.
Adrienne L. Keppler is curator of Oceanic ethnology at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. She has conducted field research throughout Polynesia, focusing on Tonga and Hawai’i. Noted for work on the ethnography and collections from Cook’s voyages, she continues to focus on connections between social structure and the visual and performing arts.
Signed Limited Edition with Slipcase
$150.00