Published by Macleay Museum
By Anna Edmundson and Chris Boylan
Clothing, jewellery and ornament transform the naked body into a cultural entity. Our outward appearance - the way we dress, the way we decorate our bodies - carries a range of messages to the outside world. All human societies use clothing and body decoration for similar purposes: as protection from the elements, decoration, a way of displaying wealth and status, and a means of projecting identity. Yet, while the basic functions of dress and ornament are universal, styles of adornment and the meanings attributed to them differ from society to society.
This book looks at some of the many ways of adorning the human body, bringing together a wide range of nineteenth and twentieth century artefacts from the indigenous art traditions of Australia and the Pacific. These items have been selected from the ethnographic collection of the Macleay Museum at The University of Sydney and the private collections of members of the Oceanic Art Society. As well as illustrating the beauty and diversity of body adornment in the Oceanic region, this publication provides insight into the ongoing value of trade, social relations, aesthetics and identity.
Illustrating the beauty and diversity of body adornment.
ISBN 0909635 36 6 (1999)
Colour, Black and white, 297mm x 210mm, 112pp.
Softcover AUD$39.95 (+ 10% GST)