Gallery view of a colorful installation made to resemble a bomb explosion
Image Credit

Niki Hastings-McFall, Sāmoan and Pākehā (European), No Man Is an Island (With Atomic Rainbow), 2023. Mixed media; Variable dimensions. Photography © Courtesy of the Denver Art Museum and © Niki Hastings-McFall

Islands Beyond Blue

Niki Hastings-McFall and Treasures from the Oceania Collection
Now On View

Niki Hastings-McFall, Sāmoan and Pākehā (European), No Man Is an Island (With Atomic Rainbow), 2023. Mixed media; Variable dimensions. Photography © Courtesy of the Denver Art Museum and © Niki Hastings-McFall

The arts of Oceania gallery will reopen with the presentation of a new temporary exhibition, Islands Beyond Blue: Niki Hastings-McFall and Treasures from the Oceania Collection. This presentation showcases the work of celebrated contemporary artist Niki Hastings-McFall, who will create site-specific work in conversation with works from the DAM’s Arts of Oceania collection.

Hastings-McFall, who is of Sāmoan and Pākehā descent, has been credited with shepherding contemporary Pacific art onto an international stage. Known for her large-scale and immersive "lei bombing" installations, she will use hundreds of synthetic lei to create an installation. Her work will be presented in dialogue with approximately 25 treasures—Pacific Peoples prefer the term "treasures" over "objects"—from the DAM's collection that illustrate regional historic arts alongside new innovations.

This inaugural exhibition aims to dispel romantic notions of the Pacific Islands as a tourist’s paradise through a nuanced exploration of the area’s vibrant cultural landscape, challenging visitors to examine their perception of this vast and extremely diverse region. A full reinstallation of the arts of Oceania gallery, opening in 2024, will further highlight the museum’s holdings of approximately 1,000 treasures that represent the vast artistic heritage of Oceania.

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Hamilton Building, Level 3
Included in general admission
Bust of a leg made out of wood with symbolic patterns meant to resemble tattoos

Marquesan artist, Tattooed Leg Form, Early 1800s. Wood; 22⅝ x 6 x 7¾ in. Denver Art Museum: Native Arts acquisition funds, 1948.795. Photography © Denver Art Museum

Wooden head of canoe carved with symbolic embroiderings

Maori artist, Tauihu (Canoe Figurehead), About 1800. Wood and Pāua (abalone shell); 15 7/8 x 7 x 42 in. Denver Art Museum: Native Arts acquisition funds, 1949.4464. Photography © Denver Art Museum

Small pointed object resembling a knife made out of whale ivory

Marquesan artist, Ear Piercer, Late 1800s. Whale ivory; 5 3/4 in. x 3/4 in. Denver Art Museum: Native Arts acquisitions funds, 1949.4471. Photography © Denver Art Museum

Small stone object of a figure with large eyes and clenched hands

Marquesan artist, Ti'i (Stone deity), About 1800-50. Lava stone; 14 7/8 in. x 5 1/4 in. Denver Art Museum: Gift of Vincent and Mary Price, 1949.4545. Photography © Denver Art Museum

Brown and white headdress made out of turtle shell and coconut fiber

Marquesan artist, Pa'e Kaha (Headdress), 1850-1900. Turtle shell, white shell, coconut fiber, and buttons; 18 1/2 in. x 1 1/8 in. Denver Art Museum: Native Arts acquisitions funds, 1952.732. Photography © Denver Art Museum

Large earring made out of tortoise shell, porpoise teeth, and red glass beads that dangle

Marquesan artist, Uuhe (Earring), about 1875. Tortoise shell, porpoise teeth, and glass beads; 3 ½ x 3 in. Denver Art Museum: Anonymous Gift, 1952.734. Photography © Denver Art Museum

Tall wooden pole resembling a figure with outstrecthed arms

Asmat artist, Bis Memorial Pole, 1900s. Wood, fiber, and paint; 128 x 9¾ x 28¾ in. Denver Art Museum: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. George G. Anderman, 1991.976. Photography © Denver Art Museum

Statue made out of dark wood and pearl made to resemble a Native figure

Melanesian artist, Nguzunguzu (Canoe Figurehead), early 1900s. Wood and mother-of-pearl; 5 x 4 x 4.5 in. Denver Art Museum: Gift in memory of George Gibbs Anderman, 1997.2. Photography © Denver Art Museum

Gallery view of a colorful installation made to resemble a bomb explosion

Niki Hastings-McFall, Sāmoan and Pākehā (European), born 1959, lives and works in West Auckland, Aotearoa (New Zealand), No Man Is an Island (With Atomic Rainbow), 2023. Mixed media. © Niki Hastings-McFall. Installation photo © Denver Art Museum.

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Wooden head of canoe carved with symbolic embroiderings

Maori artist, Tauihu (Canoe Figurehead), About 1800. Wood and Pāua (abalone shell); 15 7/8 x 7 x 42 in. Denver Art Museum: Native Arts acquisition funds, 1949.4464. Photography © Denver Art Museum

The Arts of Oceania Collection

Artworks from this gallery are part of the Denver Art Museum's Arts of Oceania collection. In the more than 80 years since the DAM acquired its first work of art from Oceania, this collection has grown to approximately 1,000 objects.

Learn more about the Arts of Oceania department and its curatorial staff below.

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