Clau with Tapa Painting

1975, Titirangi, Waitakere, Auckland, New Zealand



Callum Robertson, born in New Zealand in 1975, in Titirangi, Waitakere, in the west of Auckland. In 1996 after studying at the Auckland Institute of Technology he moved to Edinburgh, Scotland. Here he studied under the tutelage of established Scottish artist Helga Chart. Robertson then complimented his apprentiship travelling though the Pacific Islands and learning traditional Polynesian art techniques such as Tapa (Bark Cloth) making and traditional dying methods. The art of the region has heavily influenced Robertsons work, incorporating traditional symbols and materials into his works

Robertson's paintings are an explosion of Polynesian colour and design, drawing directly on the cultural influences of his birthplace of New Zealand (Aotearoa).

Robertson grew up in Auckland, home to the largest and most mixed population of Polynesian races (including Tongan, Samoan, and Maori). Inspired by the cultural and social diversity of the island races in his home town, Robertson brings together diverse Polynesian motifs and media (paperbark, hessian, wood), onto canvas with pop sensibility to create his unique pieces. Paris Voice October 2001

In Polynesian mythology the souls of those recently departed from this world are reunited in 'Hawaiki' - the one homeland of the Polynesian peoples. This belief is more or less consistent amongst the different Polynesian Islands of the Pacific, from the New Zealand Maori, to the peoples of Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga and Easter Island. Over time, many people of these (and other) lands have traveled to Aotearoa, where the vibrant blend of cultures has created a unique culture of its own.

Tapa Cloth, made from the inner bark of certain trees, is one on the most distinctive products of the cultures of the Pacific Islands. In most of the islands of Polynesia from Hawaii in the north across the Pacific to New Zealand in the south, the manufacture of barkcloth is an ancient craft, which has been practiced for thousands of years. This traditional material, for so many of these cultures has been used as a vehicle for creative expression and from here Robertson draws much inspiration.

Robertsons works combine recognised motifs from traditional barkcloth decoration with bright colours and a sense of vibrancy inspired by the natural beauty of the Pacific Islands.