Power and Prestige. The Art of clubs in Oceania

Power & Prestige is the first publication devoted to the art of clubs of command in Oceania. Indeed, ” clubs” are not just weapons, but valuable sculptures that during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries performed
multiple functions. In Pacific island societies they were symbols of rank and authority, embodiments of divine power, valuable trade goods and accessories used on ritual or official occasions. Many of them were never employed as weapons. The incredible variety of forms in which they were made demonstrates the exceptional innovative skills of Oceania’s sculptors. No longer in use, today they are mostly abandoned in museum storerooms around the world.
The intent of this book, and the accompanying exhibition, is to bring these objects back to light by allowing the public to admire them as sculptures counted among the finest works of art in the Pacific region. The richly illustrated volume will be enjoyed by all who love sculpture and design. Comprehensive contributions by distinguished experts on these extraordinary artifacts and their history (Alex Bernand, Ben Burt, Steven Hooper, Kirk Huffman, Emmanuel Kasarhérou, Philippe Peltier, Gaye Sculthorpe) make it a reference text for curators, collectors, and anyone with an interest in human creativity.