Tapa...

Kanak people, large tapa from New Caledonia, mid-20th century (brought back to France in the 1960s). Very well preserved. Length: 375 cm / width: 227 cm. Typical of Oceanic art and more particularly Kanak art, the tapa, also called vegetable fabric, is made from beaten bark from banyan, breadfruit or false mulberry. The bark was soaked for 3 days, cut into strips and beaten with beaters (the Tjibaou cutlutel center in Noumea has several examples). These strips were folded over on themselves several times, until they reached the desired dimensions and thickness, then dried in the sun. The tapa was then decorated with often geometric patterns using natural pigments, generally brown or black. It was traditionally used, offered on the occasion of a birth, a wedding, or a death. It also decorated the chief's hut. A highly valued Kanak work of art, Henri Matisse owned one in his studio. Several tapas are part of the collection of the Musée des Arts Premiers du Quai Branly. In New Caledonia, they have been included in the collections of the Jean Marie Tjibaou Cultural Center. A very beautiful exhibition was held at the Ponérihouen Town Hall (Northern Province) in 2015. Highly decorative, it fits perfectly into a rustic, ethnic, or contemporary interior. (sold with certificate and family testimony letter)