The Rogues Gallery
Elam Post-graduate Exhibition, Auckland
Nov 2004

Inspired by a number of private collections of tribal and primitive art that I have seen in recent years, I have created a series of unusual non-traditional painted masks. I describe the body of work as 'lounge-room tribalism'.

This work references the kind of cross-cultural mingling that happens in people's homes across the country where contemporary furniture and household items are interspersed with cultural objects and artifacts, from the tapa cloth adorning a feature wall in the lounge to the carved Tangaroa in the bathroom. A Rogues Gallery is a collection of photographs of known criminals used for identification purposes.

My Rogues Gallery mixes bold patterning and colour, irreverent expressions and unusual forms. This combination of elements ensures that this ensemble of painted masks is a dominant presence in any room and operates as a parody of the 'tasteful' modern interior.