2007 Episode 8: Brut Force / Tivaevae
Brut Force
Explores the fascinating world of Outsider Art in New Zealand
through the perspectives of four very different self-taught
artists.
Directed by Cosmo Kentish-Barnes, the documentary discovers how and
why Outsider Artists Ray Richie, Carmen Brown, Clare Third and
Frances Ashton transform their inner thoughts and desires into
undiluted and truthful works of Outsider Art.
These intriguing artists have no academic training, yet they were
born to create. They feel compelled to make art on their own terms,
free from the constraints of critics and the 'Art World'.
Wellington based art historian Stuart Sheppard defines Outsider Art
for us at a time when the boundaries of art and culture are rapidly
shifting in New Zealand.
Historically, the French artist Jean Dubuffet is more responsible
than anyone else for what we now call Outsider Art. He coined the
phrase "Art Brut", which literally means Raw Art or art without the
countless layers of training and cultural sophistication that
afflicts most mainstream art.
Outsider Artists fall into several categories; from the naïve,
the visionary and the eccentric, to the obsessive, the
institutional and the developmentally disabled.
Brut Force introduces us to a cross section of contemporary New
Zealand Outsider Artists and even goes back in time to a 19th
century asylum in Germany, to shed light on the origins of this
intriguing art genre.
Tivaevae
Tivaevae is a rare Cook Island art involving the creation of colourful hand sewed quilts that are gifted to other family members.
It's a non-commercial, from the heart skill that is only carried on by being passed down through generations of Cook Island families. But as Cook Islanders move to the big smoke, will the modern world and its influences make Tivaevae a lost art?
Three Cook Island women, three generations of the same family now living in NZ, attempt to keep the skill of Tivaevae alive in their new country. Their passion for the art is apparent in the intricate sewing and riotous colours of their Tivaevae and their pride in this cultural rarity is passed on to other Cook Islanders when they are lucky enough to receive Tivaevae as 21st and wedding gifts.
"It's an unreplaceable gift when you give away a Tivaevae to
somebody. For a Tivaevae to be passed on to a 21st, that's the gift
of a lifetime," says Mata TePai.
Mary Ama, Waitakere City Council's Pacific Art's advocate, does her part to keep Tivaevae alive in New Zealand by holding Tivaevae sewing classes.
"It's my way of reminding people that Tivaevae is the Cook Islands woman's work that needs to be known, needs to be respected, needs to be acknowledged in some ways that its always been part of our lives and I must say that sharing with non-Cook Islanders also confirms the survival of Tivaevae in another country," says Mary Ama.
Attempting to keep Tivaevae from becoming a Western commercial interest while still keeping the skill interesting to younger generations is a challenge all the women face. The NZ influence can already be found in the Tivaevae being made here as they appear less traditional and more 'minimalist'.
These women are strong advocates of the art and leaders in this specialized skill. This rare art has gifted and dedicated caretakers and they know its up to them to keep Tivaevae flourishing down through the generations.
As Mary Ama says: "No-one can make a beautiful Tivaevae as a Cook Islands woman can, because it comes from within the heart, it's not for sale, it is to build up that bond between you and someone that is very close to you."
