Abstract:
This research reveals some of the contradictions that arise in the negotiation of place making for Pacific peoples through the arts in New Zealand society. The arts of the Pacific have been continuously reinvented throughout time and space to contend with cultural domination and assimilation by the centre. Art production presents opportunities for economic mobility while simultaneously offering social and political agency. Since the mid 80's, contemporary art with a Pacific flavour has gained prominence and popularity in the art world. The Pacific Business Tmst has entered the debate over 'Pacific Art' as a cultural commodity. It is in this space that I place myself in a discussion of art, agency and place making for peoples with Pacific heritage in New Zealand and throughout the world. The Pacific Business Trust is a not for profit organization primarily directed
towards the advancement of sustainable business development for Pacific peoples living in New Zealand. The Pacific Business Trust sponsors an art awards competition to
promote tertiary education, where they have created a venue for emerging artists to
present their artwork and gain experience in the contemporary art market. There are
many relationships that contribute to what occurs in the space of the Pacific Art Awards, the Pacific Business Trust and New Zealand society. The elucidation and understanding of these relationships contributes to a shift in anthropological conceptions of art and society. In this thesis I discuss various elements that participate in the production, consumption, and circulation of art with a Pacific flavour in the context of the Pacific Art
Awards. The contradictions that arise in the negotiation of indigenous arts in capitalist
society can be countered with communication and creativity, which offer alternatives to
an ideology of marginalisation in a multicultural and globally interconnected world.
