Maketi Ples 2013 Pacific Islands Contemporary Art is back at Global Gallery

February 21 to March 10, 2013

Global Gallery, 5 Comber Street Paddington, NSW, Austral ia

Now in its third year, Maketi Ples - the contemporary Pacific islands art exhibition and ‘market place’ - is back

at Global Gallery, Paddington. With pieces from seven Pacific Island nations, this year’s collection features

some of the most exciting contemporary visual art, textiles and 3-D artisan works from around the region.

The diverse mix of art works at Maketi Ples 2013 includes:

• Visual art– drawing, painting, photography, printmaking

• Ceramics– traditional practices and contemporary pieces

• Textiles– traditional textiles and hand printed modern fabric

• Basketry and Weaving– rural artisan communities

• Wood work and carving– highly crafted artisan pieces based on traditional knowledge

2013 sees established and internationally collected visual artist,

Papua New Guinea painter Martin Morububuna making his third

appearance at Maketi Ples. Martin’s work has been exhibited in

museums and galleries in many countries in the Pacific, USA and

Europe. In 2012 his exceptional work Mila Mala Festival – from

planting to harvest to farewelling of the ancestors sold to a private

collector based in Sydney. Read more (long version available)

Noted self-taught artist Kay George will be exhibiting at Maketi Ples for the

second time in 2013. She lives and creates in the idyllic Cook Islands, has

been an active creator over the past 25 years, exhibiting her work throughout

the Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand. Her works are found in

private and public collections throughout the region. Read more (long…)

Laben Sakale John is a painter from Papua New Guinea joining Maketi Ples for

the first time in 2013. HIs work addresses gender roles, family affairs, domestic

violence, HIV and AIDS, law and order, and politics; themes that have very strong

links to cultural beliefs and are having an effect on modern Papua New Guinea. In

early 2006 he began experimenting with new ideas and techniques, using kitchen

knives, broken bottles/glasses, sticks, fingers and his feet to create his artworks.

His artwork continues to evolve with each collection. Read more (long version…)

F lorence Jaukae Kamel, Managing Director of Jaukae Bilum Products, is a

well-respected bilum artist and founder of the Bilum Festival. She has been at the

forefront of the rapidly growing reinterpretation of the twist and loop technique into a

contemporary art form – billum-wear. During Maketi Ples 2011, bilum-wear exhibited

and created by Florence was recognised as an important statement of gender

empowerment by the Australian Museum and was acquired by the museum for its

Pacific Collections. Read more (long version available)

Tongan artisan, Sioni (John) Maileseni returns in 2013 with new and

exciting woven artwork. His innovative methods and exclusive use of (hand

prepared and hand woven) coconut husk fibre combine to create his

intricate basket works and textiles. Maileseni’s art practice focuses on the

fusion of traditional Tongan weaving and creative design. His “Kato Kafa”

(2011) and “Kato Alu” (2012) were aquired by the Australian Musuem

Pacific Collection; Read more (long version available)

Mosaic artist Tessa Mil ler will exhibit her own intricate mosaics

created with found and collected natural materials - a celebration

of nature, each conveying a silent message of inner contemplation

to raise awareness on environmental and social issues – and

works by Namara Fiji Arts. Read more (long version available)

Making his first appearance at Maketi Ples is ceramic artist J immy Amamao, who

is originally from the Goroka area in the Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New

Guinea. Jimmy is a skilled potter who learnt to use a wheel at the Kainantu Pottery

project in the Highlands of PNG. Jimmy loves to create new products for the buying

market, creating a wide range of ceramic products.

Maketi Ples will also showcase woven works from De Staze Craft Supplies

(DSCS), a community based project that empowers women from rural villages in

the Gulf province of Papua New Guinea to help promote the traditional weaving

talents of PNG women, and offer them a sustainable and dignified income.

Read more (long version available)