SYMPOSIA

Urgent Talk 035:
The Ocean in Us - Flows of Art, Culture, and History Between Japan and the Pacific Islands (Part 2)

* Booked Out

Japanese-English simultaneous interpretation available

The Pacific Islands region is a vast, fascinating, and complex place whose people have survived, thrived, and fought in the face of extensive colonization, militarization, nuclear testing, and now climate change. The vibrant, rich cultural heritage of Pacific Islanders is incredibly diverse, and these cultural legacies, combined with histories of resistance can be seen in the work of contemporary artists from throughout Oceania. In the first part of this MAM Urgent Talk two-part series, Greg Dvorak spoke about postcolonial Oceania today, key issues and histories of Pacific-Japan connections, as well as the larger contexts and histories that underpin art from throughout the region. In this second talk, Dvorak speaks about key movements in contemporary Pacific art, sharing work from a wide range of artists from different island nations and territories, and drawing upon these works to explore multiple themes relevant to the Pacific in the 21st century world. Looking also at recent trends in international art exhibitions of work from Oceania, this talk also aims to propose how curating such art could be approached in Japan.