Getting Under Your Skin: From Tatau to Tattoo: Michel Thieme

Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 10:30pm

OCAD presents a series of talks called Getting Under Your Skin: From Tatau to Tattoo, held in conjunction with the exhibition Tatau: Samoan Tattooing and Global Culture: Photographs by Mark Adams, on now at the OCAD Professional Gallery. Getting Under Your Skin examines the relationship of tattooing traditions to the contrasting values of community identity and inclusive culture.

Michel Thieme
Tuesday, April 29, 6:30 pm

Michel Thieme is founder and director of Michel Thieme Tribal Arts, a gallery for Oceanic and Indonesian art in Amsterdam, established in 2000. His interest in Polynesian art and in tattooing led him to be tattooed by Su'u Sulu’ape Paolo, the Samoan tattooing master whose work is at the heart of the exhibit Tatau: Samoan Tattooing and Global Culture: Photographs by Mark Adams. In conversation with OCAD curator Charles Reeve, Mr. Thieme will reflect on this radical, deeply personal form of cultural cross-pollination.

Neil Ieremia
Presented in partnership with Premiere Dance Theatre/Harbourfront Centre
Saturday, May 3, 2008, 4 pm

Neil Ieremia is founder and Artistic Director for New Zealand’s leading contemporary all-male dance company, Black Grace, which has held a unique position on the world stage for over 10 years. Fusing Pacific Islander traditions and contemporary dance in an extraordinary and dynamic form, Black Grace has become internationally renowned for its artistry, creative excellence and innovation, while also becoming the world's leading exponent of Pacific contemporary dance. Sections of the company's repertoire explore, through movement, the ancient Samoan art of tatau.

Ieremia’s talk is held in conjunction with performances of Short Works by Black Grace at the Premiere Dance Theatre from April 30 to May 3, part of World Stage 2008 at Harbourfront Centre. For tickets and information, call Harbourfront Centre at 416-973-4000 or visit www.harbourfrontcentre.com/worldstage. Access to part of the exhibition Tatau: Samoan Tattooing and Global Culture: Photographs by Mark Adams on view at the theatre is available to ticket holders to the Premiere Dance Theatre at Harbourfront Centre.

Both talks take place at in OCAD’s Central Hall (Room 230), 100 McCaul Street, Toronto. All are welcome; admission is free. Limited seating available; guests are advised to arrive early. For information call 416-977-6000 or visit www.ocad.ca.

Tatau was organised by the Adam Art Gallery at the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. OCAD would like to thank the following for their generous support: Urban Primitive Design Studio; The Hal Jackman Foundation; Toronto Arts Council; the Consulate General of The Netherlands; William Jamieson Tribal Art; and several anonymous donors.

Venue & Address: 
Central Hall (Rm 230) 100 McCaul St., Toronto, Ontario
Email: 
creeve@ocad.ca
Cost: 
Free

Getting Under Your Skin: From Tatau to Tattoo: Neil Ieremia

Niel Ieremia
Saturday, May 3, 2008 - 8:00pm

OCAD presents the second event in a series of talks called Getting Under Your Skin: From Tatau to Tattoo, held in conjunction with the exhibition Tatau: Samoan Tattooing and Global Culture: Photographs by Mark Adams, on now at the OCAD Professional Gallery. Getting Under Your Skin examines the relationship of tattooing traditions to the contrasting values of community identity and inclusive culture.

Neil Ieremia
Presented in partnership with Premiere Dance Theatre/Harbourfront Centre
Saturday, May 3, 2008, 4 pm

Neil Ieremia is founder and Artistic Director for New Zealand’s leading contemporary all-male dance company, Black Grace, which has held a unique position on the world stage for over 10 years. Fusing Pacific Islander traditions and contemporary dance in an extraordinary and dynamic form, Black Grace has become internationally renowned for its artistry, creative excellence and innovation, while also becoming the world's leading exponent of Pacific contemporary dance. Sections of the company's repertoire explore, through movement, the ancient Samoan art of tatau.

Ieremia’s talk is held in conjunction with performances of Short Works by Black Grace at the Premiere Dance Theatre from April 30 to May 3, part of World Stage 2008 at Harbourfront Centre. For tickets and information, call Harbourfront Centre at 416-973-4000 or visit www.harbourfrontcentre.com/worldstage. Access to part of the exhibition Tatau: Samoan Tattooing and Global Culture: Photographs by Mark Adams on view at the theatre is available to ticket holders to the Premiere Dance Theatre at Harbourfront Centre.

All are welcome; admission is free. Limited seating available; guests are advised to arrive early. For information call 416-977-6000 or visit www.ocad.ca.

Tatau was organised by the Adam Art Gallery at the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. OCAD would like to thank the following for their generous support: Urban Primitive Design Studio; The Hal Jackman Foundation; Toronto Arts Council; the Consulate General of The Netherlands; William Jamieson Tribal Art; and several anonymous donors.

Venue & Address: 
Central Hall (Rm 230) 100 McCaul St., Toronto, Ontario
Email: 
creeve@ocad.ca
Cost: 
Free

Tatau: Samoan Tattooing and Global Culture: Photographs by Mark Adams

Tatau
Friday, February 15, 2008 - 5:00am to Sunday, May 18, 2008 - 4:00am

The OCAD Professional Gallery is pleased to present Tatau: Samoan Tattooing and Global Culture: Photographs by Mark Adams from Feb. 15 to May 18, 2008. The exhibition launches with an evening of conversation between Mark Adams and curator Peter Brunt, on Fri., Feb. 15, 6:30 pm.

Making its North American debut at OCAD's Professional Gallery, Tatau originated at Wellington's Adam Art Gallery before touring New Zealand and Australia. This exhibit explores 'tatau', the Samoan tattooing tradition, as an example of cross-cultural collaboration and cultural diversity. Based on a twenty-five year association with the tufuga tatatau (tattoo artists), particularly Adams' friendship with Samoan tattooing master Sulu'ape Paulo II, these photographs show a global community transplanting, adopting and appropriating the tatau. Adams' images also consider the man behind the camera and the viewer before the prints by exploring colonial photography's legacy and the search for alternative representations of our relationships with others.

Mark Adams is one of New Zealand's foremost documentary photographers. His work on Samoan tattooing, Maori-Pakeha interactions around Rotorua, and New Zealand's historic sites have been shown extensively in New Zealand, Europe, Australia, South Africa, and Brazil. His books include Land of Memories and Cook's Sites. Adams lives in Auckland, New Zealand.

Peter Brunt teaches Pacific art, Postcolonial art and theory, and Primitivism in the Art History program at Wellington's Victoria University. His research addresses Pacific art, art and cross-cultural encounter in the Pacific, and postcolonial art and theory.

Tatau at the Premiere Dance Theatre, Harbourfront Centre
Ticket holders to the Premiere Dance Theatre can see additional images from Tatau in the Premiere Dance Theatre gallery at Harbourfront Centre. The images are presented in conjunction with the presentation of Black Grace, which runs April 30 to May 3, as part of World Stage 08. New Zealand's leading contemporary dance company, Black Grace is an all-male troupe combining Pacific Island traditions with contemporary dance. Parts of their repertoire use movement to explore Samoan tatau.

The talk with Mark Adams and Peter Brunt takes place in the OCAD Auditorium. All are welcome and admission is free. Limited seating available. Guests are advised to arrive early.

Gallery Hours: Wednesdays to Fridays, 1 to 7 pm; Saturdays and Sundays noon to 6 pm; closed Mondays, Tuesdays and holidays.

OCAD gratefully acknowledges the support of the Hal Jackman Foundation, the Toronto Arts Council and Urban Primitive.

Venue & Address: 
Professional Gallery 100 McCaul St., Toronto, Ontario
Email: 
creeve@ocad.ca; smulholland@ocad.ca
Cost: 
Free