Artist-in-Residence

Maisin Artists of Papua New Guinea

WS-Kate Sivana, "Untitled", 1997
Kate Sivana, in collaboration with The Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia, Untitled, 1997. Pigment on Thai silk. 80.5 x 43.5 inches (204.47 x 110.49 cm). Photo credit: Aaron Igler.

The tapa cloth created by the Maisin was brought to the attention of FWM by Larry Rinder, currently the Director of the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, California. In early 1997, Rinder was invited to curate an exhibition at FWM; this invitation resulted in a long-term collaboration with the Maisin, including an ambitious program of international exchanges, a residency, and an exhibition.

In response to an offer by FWM of a residency in Philadelphia for tapa artists, the Maisin women and elders held community meetings and selected three women representing various clans and villages. In September of 1997, Natalie Rarama, Kate Sivana, and Monica Taniova came to FWM’s studios in Philadelphia where they were introduced to silkscreen printing techniques and a variety of materials, pigments, and dyes.

While in residence at FWM, the Maisin artists experimented with translating their designs into prints on silk, repeat cotton yardage, and even a woven wool carpet. The range of colors available for printing created both interest and dismay for the artists; no longer limited to the natural dyes available to them at home, they were drawn to bright colors reminiscent of birds and plants of the rain forest. Ultimately, however, they were most drawn to the traditional Maisin palette of red and black.

Artist Bio

The Maisin community of Collingwood Bay, Papua New Guinea, has consciously begun the arduous and ongoing task of simultaneously preserving their traditional culture, protecting their environment, and becoming citizens of the global village. They have under taken this process, nonetheless, with optimism, dedication, and an understanding that their pioneering work is an inspiring example for other communities throughout the world who are attempting to maintain their traditional way of life while participating in the global economy of the new century.

Long before this larger goal of culture and land preservation became a focus for the entire community, the Maisin—for centuries—have been dedicated artists of a type of bark cloth painting called tapa. There are two distinct varieties of tapa cloth—those used for ceremonial roles and those used for everyday purposes. The ceremonial, or sacred, tapa are embellished with designs that have been passed down from generation to generation in each clan. These sacred designs are never exhibited or sold, but rather reserved for ceremonial use by the members of each clan. The everyday tapa is generally created from the imagination of each artist and is non-pictorial. It was and continues to be used as everyday clothing and as a commodity for bartering with neighboring tribes; nowadays, it is also available for sale to outsiders for commercial markets.