Exhibition Preview: Matthew Tome

COLLECTION | Woven yam helm, 'BAPA' of Wosers

Constructed from fibre & ochre, work is West Papuan in origin, and a modern construction of a traditional design. The piece was originally purchased by the Paulian society which supported communities by ethically collecting work by tribes people of Papua New Guinea.

The helmet features an extraordinary depiction of a series of heads within heads representing ancestor figures, and is one of a number of works collected by Tome, for their powerful designs and crafting.

Woven yam helmet, from the collection of Matthew Tome

COLLECTOR | Matthew Tome

Head teacher of Newcastle Art School, holds an M.A in Ancient History, B.A in Visual Art and practices extensively in painting, drawing, printmaking, with evidence of an interest in museological practices and archaeologist methods throughout his work.

Matthew Tome, Map of the World, 2010, tile and concrete, various sizes. Installation view from Brought to Light, John Paynter Gallery, image courtesy of Matthew Tome

On his 'Map of the World' work (pictured), Matthew Tome writes: 

"I was responding to the canoe pool at Newcastle Baths. The works are based on the myth that under the canoe pool is a mosaic map of the world. I wanted to conduct a kind of archaeological artwork, where the material to support the myth is discovered. The historical reality is not as complex but just as interesting.

The fragments of tiles are remnants of the mosaic map of the world. They are of their time, not as ornate as a byzantine mosaic (this is not Ravenna after all) but not slick and modern either. They are perhaps the product of a civic folly, an amateur tribute of a massive scale. A few visitors to the exhibition took them to be real and wodered how I was allowed to take them and display them." Matthew Tome, about the work

For more on 'Brought to Light', a collaborative project exploring hidden sites around Newcastle, visit the Lock-Up Cultural Centre's website here: Brought to Light

To view more of Matthew Tomes past works visit his website here: matthewtome.com.au

And to view more examples of Matthew's collection of Papuan tribal crafts, amongst other incredible collections, visit Artifacts Aired at the Front Room Gallery, 6 - 21 June, 2012.