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| New Colours from Old Worlds: |
| Contemporary Art from Oceania |
| 11th November 1998 to 23rd January 1999 | 
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Mathias Kauage O.B.E.
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Mathias Kauage is the best-known and longest established of the PNG artists who since the time of Independence have been painting in a contemporary style. A day-labourer from the Highlands he visited the first-ever art exhibition by a Papua New Guinean artist (Timothy Akis) in the late Sixties and struck by what he saw there decided that he could do equally well - if not better. After meeting Georgina Beier (the British-born artist/educator who had originally encouraged Akis) Kauage went on to study under her supervision, and within a year had indeed produced a sufficient body of work to hold his own exhibition. He never looked back, and was so successful that many others imitated his distinctive style - to the extent that a whole "school" of imitators sprang up around him. Often copied, therefore but never bettered he continues to be the only PNG artist with a major international reputation and following. After meeting Queen Elizabeth II in 1994 he presented her with a picture that he had painted showing himself and 'Queenie' meeting. The gift was accepted and the compliment returned when, in 1998, Kauage was awarded the Order of the British Empire.
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