Symposium: Austronesia - A Journey to the Past and Present 24-25 May 2014 Tjibaou Cultural Centre, Noumea, New Caledonia

The Pacific Arts Association (PAA) invites you to attend a 2-day symposium focused on both the ancient and contemporary connections amongst Austronesian peoples/artists. It will be hosted by the Tjibaou Cultural Centre in Noumea, New Caledonia, on 24-25 May 2014. 
 The objectives are to explore the ancient connections of our Austronesian ancestors as well as to address the many contemporary connections amongst indigenous art and artists. The increasingly close engagement of Asian and Pacific Island nations creates a need for an understanding of the complex region of Oceania beyond the patterns imposed by Western history and influence. 


Austronesia - ajourney to the past and present is an extension of the collaboration since 2007 between the Tjibaou Cultural Centre of New Caledonia and the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts of Taiwan, whose directors realized the lack of intercultural exchange between the indigenous peoples of Pacific and Southeast Asian countries, whose common ancestry is Austronesian. In its forward-looking ‘Contemporary Austronesian Art Project’ the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts took the initiative to promote Taiwan’s Indigenous artists, establish relationships with contemporary Pacific artists and dialogue with Pacific cultural institutions with a series of major exhibitions and an extensive Pasifika artist-in-residence programme.


This symposium will provide curators, artists, and scholars in the Pacific region (and beyond) the opportunity to view the major exhibition Kanak, L’art est une parole (originated at the Musee Quay Branly, curated by Emmanuel Kasarherou).