Recently, themed as “Arts of the Great Ocean”, an exquisite exhibition of art and crafts from the Oceania region opens at Shanghai Museum. The exhibition offers visitors an opportunity to appreciate the ancient culture and society of the Pacific islands. The exhibition will run through August 18th.
The exhibition features 150 artifices, which include a wooden oar carved with an intricate geometric design, a canoe prow sculpted to resemble a human face, a jade tiki pendant and a sperm whale ivory necklace. Most of the exhibits on show are made from wood and were created between the 18th and 20th centuries. All these exhibits were selected from the collection of France's Musee du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac, which boasts an eclectic catalog of more than 30,000 exhibits from the Oceania region.
The pieces featured in the exhibition have great aesthetic and anthropological values. The main theme of the exhibition is the connection between the ocean and the land. The 150 artworks in this exhibition tell the stories of the distinct and unique cultures of Oceania. They highlight the wild imagination of the indigenous people of the Pacific Ocean, while exuding an undeniable rustic charm.