A journey through history

Maori artists (first, second and fourth from right) perform and bless the exhibition at its opening ceremony on May 31. [Photo provided to China Daily]

When asked about the significance of the exhibits, Maia Nuku, curator of Oceanic Art at the Met, said the Pacific Ocean, the largest and deepest ocean on the planet, is a deeply interconnected highway for islanders who live in the region and links and joins communities rather than separates them.

"Like the canoes that conveyed islanders to new homelands, the arts of Oceania are also vessels: a means to acquire knowledge or stage journeys into other realms. Ancestor figures, woven textiles, masks and shields — these varied and remarkable vessels serve as a focal point for ceremonies and rituals that guide important transitions across literal and spiritual borders," says Nuku.

Hollein adds: "These are works done on many thousands of islands … and they represent an idea of travel, of voyaging. Also, these objects root you to a place when islanders emigrate and settle on a new island. I think that's a certain spirit that resonates here with Chinese audiences."