The Shape of Time:
Art and Ancestors of Oceania
from The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The National Museum of Qatar, Doha, Qatar, 2023
Over 120 works from The Met’s unparalleled collection tell the story of creative expression and innovation over the centuries throughout the Pacific Islands.
The Shape of Time takes a fresh look at the visual arts of Oceania to explore the deeply rooted connections between Austronesian-speaking peoples. The artefacts on display are noted for their artistic and historic value, varying from wooden sculptures to items of personal adornment and textiles. The artworks come from the many peoples of the region–from the insular region of southeast Asia to Australia and Papua New Guinea to island archipelagoes in the north and eastern Pacific—and date from the 18th century to the present.
Rather than conform to a strictly linear or regional presentation, the installation demonstrates the interconnectedness of Pacific Islanders and their rich cultural heritage by presenting clusters of artworks in cultural groupings within three thematic sections: Voyaging and the Ocean, Ancestors and the Land, and Time and Agency. Each of these sections explores ideas pertinent to the expansive visual language of Oceanic art and anchors the art in an overarching conceptual landscape.
Art and Ancestors of Oceania
from The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The National Museum of Qatar, Doha, Qatar, 2023
Over 120 works from The Met’s unparalleled collection tell the story of creative expression and innovation over the centuries throughout the Pacific Islands.
The Shape of Time takes a fresh look at the visual arts of Oceania to explore the deeply rooted connections between Austronesian-speaking peoples. The artefacts on display are noted for their artistic and historic value, varying from wooden sculptures to items of personal adornment and textiles. The artworks come from the many peoples of the region–from the insular region of southeast Asia to Australia and Papua New Guinea to island archipelagoes in the north and eastern Pacific—and date from the 18th century to the present.
Rather than conform to a strictly linear or regional presentation, the installation demonstrates the interconnectedness of Pacific Islanders and their rich cultural heritage by presenting clusters of artworks in cultural groupings within three thematic sections: Voyaging and the Ocean, Ancestors and the Land, and Time and Agency. Each of these sections explores ideas pertinent to the expansive visual language of Oceanic art and anchors the art in an overarching conceptual landscape.
Size: 1200m2
Role: Exhibition design, graphic design
Role: Exhibition design, graphic design
Photos: Ijas Muhammed