Taketake Gallery, Whakatane 26th January to 23rd February, 2007
The Living Art of Pacific Tattoo focused on the art of documenting ta moko, tatau, tatu and tattoo within communities living in New Zealand and the Pacific. The exhibition of photography premiered at the 2005 Tattoonesia festival in Moorea, Tahiti. In 2006, the show travelled to Milan, Amsterdam, London, Auckland City, Mangere and Otara. In 2007 it showed again in Otara as well as in Whakatane and Hawkes Bay.
The exhibition featured anthropologists from Japan and Hawaii with New Zealand photographers and Moving Image artists; Mark Adams, Tricia Allen, Greg Semu, Serena Stevenson, Steven Ball, Norm Heke, Makiko Kuwahara, James Pinker/Mark McClean, Lisa Taouma, Miki Magasiva, and Marsha Angou.
“All the artists were chosen because of their commitment and passion for documenting living ta moko, tatau, tattoo cultures in the Pacific” says curator, Steven Ball.
Working artists of Polynesian tattoo featured over the duration of the exhibition as well as workshops from artists in documentary photography and moving image. Presentation lectures in the anthropology and practice of Polynesian tattoo also formed part of the public programme.
images courtesy of Steven Ball, copyright, 2007
images and content should not be copied in any form, thank you, J
