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Pacific art

The Gallery's collection of contemporary Pacific art is the broadest in Australia. With the establishment of the Asia Pacific Triennial (APT) in the early 1990s, the Gallery recognised the importance of actively developing the Pacific collection.

The Pacific collection, with an emphasis on New Zealand, reflects the diversity of the region's contemporary art, as well as innovation in customary practices. Primarily composed of works made after 1970, it includes paintings, prints and drawings, sculpture, photography, installation, textiles, weaving, body adornment, video and film.

Artwork Man from inland Viti Levu (Cai Kolo mountain people) this artwork made of Albumen photograph on paper mounted on card

Man from inland Viti Levu (Cai Kolo mountain people) c.1870s
Artwork Fijian man this artwork made of Albumen photograph on paper mounted on card

Fijian man c.1870s
Artwork Häuptling mit familie Samoa (Chief with the Samoa family) this artwork made of Collotype on paper mounted on card

Häuptling mit familie Samoa (Chief with the Samoa family) c.1890s
Artwork Cunningham troupe in Sydney this artwork made of Albumen photograph on paper mounted on card, created in 1883-01-01

Cunningham troupe in Sydney 1883
Artwork Group of wild natives this artwork made of Albumen photograph on paper mounted on card, created in 1868-01-01

Group of wild natives c.1868-76
Artwork (Three New Caledonian men) this artwork made of Albumen photograph on paper mounted on card, created in 1870-01-01

(Three New Caledonian men) c.1875
Artwork Major of Household troops, Maehonua this artwork made of Albumen photograph on paper mounted on card

Major of Household troops, Maehonua c.1860s
Artwork Queen Emma of Hawai’i in Paris this artwork made of Albumen photograph on paper mounted on card, created in 1865-01-01

Queen Emma of Hawai’i in Paris 1865
Artwork Kanacha King of the Fijis this artwork made of Albumen photograph on paper mounted on card, created in 1870-01-01

Kanacha King of the Fijis c.1870-90
Artwork Tongan women this artwork made of Albumen photograph on paper mounted on card

Tongan women c.1870s
Artwork Pacific Islander this artwork made of Albumen photograph on paper mounted on card, created in 1877-01-01

Pacific Islander c.1877-79
Artwork Fiji cannibals this artwork made of Albumen photograph on paper mounted on card, created in 1875-01-01

Fiji cannibals c.1880
Artwork Samoan Chief Lanulo and wife this artwork made of Albumen photograph on paper, created in 1893-01-01

Samoan Chief Lanulo and wife 1893-94
Artwork Taupou (village maid) this artwork made of Albumen photograph on paper mounted on card, created in 1890-01-01

Taupou (village maid) 1890s
Artwork Native girl and large taro plant this artwork made of Albumen photograph on paper mounted on card, created in 1899-01-01

Native girl and large taro plant 1899
Artwork Native girls, Rotuma this artwork made of Albumen photograph on paper mounted on card, created in 1899-01-01

Native girls, Rotuma 1899
Artwork Jeune gens Taitiens this artwork made of Albumen photograph on paper mounted on card, created in 1875-01-01

Jeune gens Taitiens c.1880
Artwork Unsere neuen Landleute aus Samoa (Our new fellow countrymen from Samoa) this artwork made of Carbon print on paper, created in 1901-01-01

Unsere neuen Landleute aus Samoa (Our new fellow countrymen from Samoa) 1901
Artwork Orchid this artwork made of Tivaevae: manu style quilt, commercial cotton cloth and thread in appliqué technique, created in 2020-01-01

Orchid 2020
Artwork Urohs dereht (thread skirt) with rooster mwahi (design) this artwork made of Poly-cotton machine embroidery with satin appliqué on cotton with acetate, created in 2019-01-01

Urohs dereht (thread skirt) with rooster mwahi (design) 2019
Artwork Urohs dereht (thread skirt) with flower mwahi (design) this artwork made of Poly-cotton machine embroidery on cotton with acetate, created in 2019-01-01

Urohs dereht (thread skirt) with flower mwahi (design) 2019
Artwork Kalo (Colocasia esculenta) (Taro) (from ‘Nā Waiho‘olu‘u Hawai‘i, The colors of Hawai‘i‘ series) this artwork made of Cotton with cotton thread on cotton with natural plant dye, created in 2006-01-01

Kalo (Colocasia esculenta) (Taro) (from ‘Nā Waiho‘olu‘u Hawai‘i, The colors of Hawai‘i‘ series) 2006, reworked 2019
Artwork ‘Ōlena (Curcuma longa) (Turmeric) (from ‘Nā Waiho‘olu‘u Hawai‘i, The colors of Hawai‘i‘ series) this artwork made of Cotton with cotton thread on cotton with natural plant dye, created in 2005-01-01

‘Ōlena (Curcuma longa) (Turmeric) (from ‘Nā Waiho‘olu‘u Hawai‘i, The colors of Hawai‘i‘ series) 2005, reworked 2019
Artwork Hau (Hibiscus tiliaceus) (Sea hibiscus) (from ‘Nā Waiho‘olu‘u Hawai‘i, The colors of Hawai‘i‘ series) this artwork made of Cotton with cotton thread on cotton with natural plant dye, created in 2006-01-01

Hau (Hibiscus tiliaceus) (Sea hibiscus) (from ‘Nā Waiho‘olu‘u Hawai‘i, The colors of Hawai‘i‘ series) 2006
Artwork Noni (Morinda citrifolia) (Indian mulberry) (from ‘Nā Waiho‘olu‘u Hawai‘i, The colors of Hawai‘i‘ series) this artwork made of Cotton with cotton thread on cotton with natural plant dye, created in 2005-01-01

Noni (Morinda citrifolia) (Indian mulberry) (from ‘Nā Waiho‘olu‘u Hawai‘i, The colors of Hawai‘i‘ series) 2005
Artwork ‘Uki‘uki (Dianella sandwicensis) (Hawaiian lily) (from ‘Nā Waiho‘olu‘u Hawai‘i, The colors of Hawai‘i‘ series) this artwork made of Cotton with cotton thread on cotton with natural plant dye, created in 2006-01-01

‘Uki‘uki (Dianella sandwicensis) (Hawaiian lily) (from ‘Nā Waiho‘olu‘u Hawai‘i, The colors of Hawai‘i‘ series) 2006
Artwork ‘Iliahi (Santalum ellipticum) (Sandalwood) (from ‘Nā Waiho‘olu‘u Hawai‘i, The colors of Hawai‘i‘ series) this artwork made of Cotton with cotton thread on cotton with natural plant dye, created in 2006-01-01

‘Iliahi (Santalum ellipticum) (Sandalwood) (from ‘Nā Waiho‘olu‘u Hawai‘i, The colors of Hawai‘i‘ series) 2006, reworked 2019
Artwork Ma‘o (Gossypium tomentosum) (Hawaiian cotton) (from ‘Nā Waiho‘olu‘u Hawai‘i, The colors of Hawai‘i‘ series) this artwork made of Cotton with cotton thread on cotton with natural plant dye, created in 2006-01-01

Ma‘o (Gossypium tomentosum) (Hawaiian cotton) (from ‘Nā Waiho‘olu‘u Hawai‘i, The colors of Hawai‘i‘ series) 2006
Artwork Chalice this artwork made of Tivaevae ta'orei: Cotton cloth with cotton embroidery thread, created in 2019-01-01

Chalice 2019
Artwork The Meke this artwork made of Gelatin silver stereograph on paper, created in 1906-01-01

The Meke 1906