Massim Tribal Art: Papua New Guinea

About the exhibition
Curated by Viennese-Australian scholar Harry Beran and developed by Wollongong City Gallery, Massim Tribal Art: Papua New Guinea brought together objects such as baskets, drums, mortars and bracelets from a number of private collections. These were shown alongside a selection of photographs of the region  by Polish anthropologist Bronisław Malinowski, on loan from the National Museum of Victoria. Art from the Massim area, the easternmost point of Papua New Guinea, was described as  rivalling ‘the Ancient Greeks’ and evidencing a uniquely appealing aesthetic language and symbology displayed across utilitarian, trade and ritual objects.

Acknowledgement:
A Wollongong City Gallery touring exhibition.
Presented at Wollongong City Gallery, 15 October – 6 November 1980; Newcastle Region Gallery 1 April – 30 April 1982; Brisbane Civic Art Gallery, 1 June – 27 June 1982; Australian Museum 24 August – 27 September 1982.

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^{Image: Artist unknown, Shell Armring n.d., Mwali, Mwali, black seeds, European glass trade beads, shell discs, cone shell. Australian Museum, Sydney. Acquired 1876}