Maori Modernism Referring to Maori Modernism, discuss the relationship between Western Modernism, the nation-state, the art-world and indigenous culture. Maori Modernism combines respect for the traditional techniques and motifs of Maori visual art with keen self-awareness and political activism to protest, educate and energise the viewer. This essay examines the political, social and art milieu that gave rise to the Maori Modernist movement. Legitimation is the key focus of this essay, and I will argue that New Zealand’s contemporary identity as a unique Pacific nation is legitimated through the creation of artworks that are a combination of traditional Maori art forms and Western Modernist practices. Paratene Matchitt’s City to Sea Bridge, 1992-1993 (Wellington: Civic Square) is used as the main illustration of this thesis, and is discussed in the second half of this essay. My argument will draw upon the art of the Maori Modernist movement to illustrate the interconnected relationships between the nation-state, Western Modernism, indigenous culture and the art-world. I will show that ruling classes have used the art world to legitimate their position and their superiority over indigenous peoples; and, similarly, that Western Modernism required the attention of the art world to legitimate it as “real” art. This attention has also been focussed on indigenous cultures, bringing them from the ethnographic museum into the art world in a process that legitimates them and their causes as real and important in the contemporary world. In turn their presence in galleries legitimates the art world as an evolving and relevant mirror of society. This is, of course, an over-simplification of an extremely complex and interdependent matrix; however, the use of the key concept of legitimation as the thread binding them together, combined with the illustrations and examples of Maori Modernism will show that these four seemingly disparate elements are inextricably linked and continue to inform contemporary concepts of identity within New Zealand. The nation-state: a recent concept The concept of a nation-state is a relatively new one, arguably beginning in Europe in the 19th century as power shifted from large and culturally diverse dynastic 1 empires to smaller and more culturally focussed geo-political states.1 Previously, an empire’s borders changed as political treaties were made and then broken; by contrast, the nation-state tends to have more clearly defined and fixed land borders and a more culturally homogenous population. In New Zealand, the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi is now considered to be a founding document of the nation, although New Zealand did not in fact achieve autonomous Dominion status from Britain until 1907; and most likely did not define itself as a separate nation-state until the Gallipoli campaign in WWI. Until the last quarter of the 20th century New Zealand forged its identity through farming and rugby - looking to Britain for cultural cues - and much of the art reflected that: displaying a propensity towards the ‘most English of mediums, watercolours.’2 Prior to the Maori Modernism movement, Maori art was confined to an ethnographic world - crafts like carving and weaving notable for their skill and uniqueness, but not considered to be art on the level of the European masters, as evidenced by the lack of representation of Maori artists in the national art collection until well into the 1980s.3 The nation-state: art as legitimation Throughout European history, those in power have used art as a means of legitimation. From European royal family portraits through to Soviet Socialist Realism, art communicates the superiority and might of the people at the top, as well as being a method of communicating messages of propaganda and ideology to those below. In New Zealand the use of art to legitimate the politically and economically dominant position of the pakeha was done by depicting Maori as a romanticised, dying race which was in need of strong - yet benevolent - leadership.4 The “noble savage” trope of half- naked, tattooed Maori warriors, when presented to a late-Victorian society steeped in Christian piety much have appeared barbaric indeed. By contrasting images of the unkempt and seemingly “uncivilised” Maori population with the British style of portraits depicting the scrubbed and hyper-attired pakeha, the distinction was clear: Maori equals fierce barbarian, Pakeha equals civilised leader. This is reflected in the history of New Zealand art, where Maori tended to be the subjects rather than the 1 Wikipedia, ‘Nation state’, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation_state, accessed 12 September, 2011. 2 Stewart Bell MacLennan, ‘Art in New Zealand: Survey, Trends, and Influences, 1938 to Present’, http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/ 1966/art-in-new-zealand/2, accessed 13 September, 2011. 3 William McAloon, ‘Introduction’, Art at Te Papa, Wellington: Te Papa Press, 2009, p 14-15. 4 Roger Blackley, ‘William Beetham’, Art at Te Papa, Wellington: Te Papa Press, 2009, p 76. 2 creators of fine art - as evidenced by the staging of the early Maori Modernist group exhibits in informal spaces, not in the legitimating spaces of formal art galleries.5 Western Modernism: rejection of tradition and ideology Western Modernism sought to reject the classical modes of representation that preceded it - finding new ways to see and reproduce not just the world around the artist, but also the artist’s emotional response to that world. This rejection took many forms: from the Cubist denial of singular perspective and recognisable form, through to the ideological rejection of the establishment by the Dada movement.6 Initially scorned by the art world, some early Modernists fought for legitimation by entering their work into established academic salons and by setting up their own “unofficial” competitions. Today the modern and contemporary art worlds are the art worlds, having now themselves become established in such institutions as the MoMA and the Tate Modern. Maori Modernism is less about rejection and more about challenging the norms and creating an evolution of art and society. Rather than rejecting the traditional forms and techniques, these are adapted to a new paradigm of education and activism.7 And rather than rejecting the existing political ideologies and system, work such as WHAWHAI/ PROTEST by Buck Nin, 1977 (The Fletcher Trust Collection) calls for the crown to honour the promises made in the Treaty of Waitangi. This shows a desire to work within the existing political framework to achieve the goals of the Maori people as opposed to calling for the revolutionary overthrow of the government. Western Modernism and Primitivism: inspiration not emancipation Some Western Modernist artists such as Gauguin were inspired by Pacific art forms and traditions, and this blending of western and indigenous imagery became known as Primitivism.8 Although it may be argued that the recognition of non-western art forms was a positive event, Primitivism can just as easily be seen to be a process of one-sided appropriation for the western artists’ own gain - a case more of inspiration for the artist than support and emancipation for the “primitive” peoples. When the motifs are merely borrowed there is no meaningful interaction - Western Modernist 5 Peter Brunt, Victoria University, Arth335 Lecture, 10 August 2011. 6 Fred S. Kleiner, Gardners Art Through the Ages, Boston: Thomson Higher Education, 13th edition, 2009, p 911. 7 John Bevan Ford, ‘Introduction’, Maori Artists of the South Pacific, Raglan: New Zealand Maori Artists and Writers Society, 1884, p 9. 8 Kleiner, Gardners, p 920. 3 Primitivism may have brought indigenous art forms to the legitimating sites of the art world, but it generally did not improve the political, social or economic lot of the people whose art was being appropriated. Indigenous culture: global phenomenon of colonialism New Zealand is only one of a number of counties subject to European colonialism, and there are parallels with the indigenous experience in many other cultures throughout the world. According to Maori Modernist artist Buck Nin, developing an independent and evolving indigenous art form is an important part of the process of indigenous cultures finding their voice within the modern world.9 When the Maori and American Indian experiences are compared, one can see how the style of art that conformed to western ideals of “authentic” indigenous art served only to reinforce stereotypes and inhibit the ability of the visual culture to develop. It is only once the art has been released from the restrictive bonds of traditional practice can it become truly representative of the contemporary indigenous culture. Sir Apirana Ngata’s Maori Arts and Crafts school in Rotorua was an effective and essential institute which provided traditional Maori art the legitimation it required in order to be preserved in living form; however, creating an academy of traditional practice had the negative effect of fixing a small range of techniques and motifs as the only “authentic” Maori art - which made innovation difficult.10 Indigenous culture: finding balance As opposed to the rejection of traditional art forms by Western Modernists, Maori Modernists embraced their culture’s rich visual heritage and adapted it to suit their own worldview and message. Techniques of woodworking were employed and motifs and traditional stories were reworked. The tension between the traditional and the contemporary, as illustrated by the experience of the Rotorua Maori Arts and Crafts school, in many ways forced a forging of radical forms of expression for the Maori Modernists which led to a movement that eventually became accepted - and legitimated - by the art world. Art world: site of protest and legitimation The art critics of earlier generations would no doubt be left speechless at the thought of work by British street artist Banksie adorning the walls of galleries, but the 9 Ford, ‘Buck Nin’, Maori Artists of the South Pacific, p 23.