Polynesian artist debut in British Museum

A Wellington artist has become the first Polynesian to have work acquired by The British Museum in London, with a painting of the famous explorer Captain James Cook who discovered New Zealand in 1769.
Artist Michel Tuffery's work ‘Cookie in the Cook Islands’ was purchased by The British Museum after a lengthy process, and not only becomes the first painting by a Polynesian artist to be acquired by the museum but also the only representation of Captain Cook by an indigenous artist in the Museum’s collections.

Queen’s honour
Michel Tuffery, 43, was born in Wellington, and is of Samoan, Rarotongan and Tahitian descent.

He is an acclaimed printmaker, painter and sculptor renowned for his ability to cross art forms and explore new boundaries.

In 2008, Tuffery became the youngest recipient of a Member of the New Zealand Merit of Order in the Queen's Honours list for services to the Arts.

He is considered one of the most influential role players in making contemporary Pacific Island art more visible in New Zealand and the wider Pacific region, and his work features in public and private collections throughout the world.

'Cookie in the Cook Islands'
‘Cookie in the Cook Islands’ is part of Tuffery’s ‘first contact’ series which illustrates factual and imagined narratives of Captain James Cook's explorations in the Pacific.

He has grafted various guises on headshots of Cook, which is seen as a possible device to register metaphorically the impact of the explorer's encounters or as a nod to Tuffery’s own identity.

Natasha McKinney of the British Museum says the work is an attractive, accessible and powerful representation of Captain James Cook, as a British audience will never have seen him before.

"The work creates a natural connection with the British Museum's artefact collection from the Pacific collected by Cook, Joseph Banks and others on those voyages.

"These artefacts are amongst the oldest objects the Museum has from this part of the world, and are highly valued by Pacific Islanders today.

"Tuffery's painting highlights the complexity and the importance of these ‘first contacts’ in shaping contemporary life in the Pacific, foregrounding a Polynesian perspective on this historical figure and his voyages of exploration," McKinney said.

First language
Michel Tuffery likens the role of the artist to that of a journalist - asking questions, investigating and telling stories from fresh perspectives - and says art is his first language.

He says it's the way he communicates his ideas on the world around him, is his cultural heritage and the diverse cultural fabric that makes up New Zealand and the changing nature of life in the Pacific region.

Tuffery’s art features in major public and private collections throughout the world including Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and the United States.

He has received several national and international arts residencies, public commissions and awards and has exhibited extensively in solo and group exhibitions.