Pacific Memorial, 2019

In Gabriel Heimler and Anna Proc’s Pacific Memorial, a massive polyptych consisting of six brightly painted panels, one is presented with a diverse array of figures posed or moving in various ways within an idyllic landscape. With such a broad spectrum of visual elements to contemplate, we are tempted to enjoy the luxury of focusing on each panel individually, randomly studying the individual or small groups of figures arranged against a bright landscape and sky. However, the horizontal orientation of the panels begs the viewer to contemplate the work as one might look at a Chinese painted handscroll, ceremoniously unrolled from right to left. As it turns out, this might be the most appropriate approach to take, as the work is meant to celebrate the inclusion of Chinese people and their cultural achievements and global influence in New Zealand and the Pacific region as a whole. Heimler and Proc’s role is to reveal this international encounter through the lens of Paul Gauguin, assuming Gauguin could travel forward in time and put aside some of his preconceived notions!

As we journey through the panoramic landscape before us, we are struck by an unexpected combination of figures and scenes: a range of individuals from differing cultures and time periods in contorted poses, actively moving through the space or calmly sitting; a stark male figure wearing a British bowler hat and lapel pin leering in the foreground; and a recreation of Édouard Manet’s Dejeuner Sur l’herbe, using sand in place of grass, and Gauguin and Vincent Van Gogh in place of Manet’s male family members, just to name a few. The figures found throughout the work are placed against a dazzling background of familiar flora and Wellington landmarks, with the colors of the red flowering New Zealand Christmas trees popping off the panels. The presence of carved manaia ancestral figures referencing Maori culture grace an elegant wooden gateway near the center of the work, as well as a canoe prow off to the right. The gateway directs our focus to the female figure clad in a yellow martial arts outfit, whose leg and hand project boldly forward through this spiritual, mana-filled portal.

A majority of the Chinese people encountered by Gauguin in 19th century Polynesia were probably traders and indentured laborers. As Gauguin’s interests were focused more on the local inhabitants of the communities where he resided and the pursuit of his artistic work, it is likely that his interactions with Chinese migrants were limited in scope. In retrospect, a broader understanding of the diversity of the different Chinese populations traveling throughout the region has shed enhanced light on the interesting make-up of these populations, how their influence was felt in the past, and how it continues to be felt today. In like fashion, discussions of Paul Gauguin’s time spent in Polynesia have often been focused, somewhat narrowly, on the negative, and it is not surprising to find that stories of Gauguin’s personal life sometimes overshadow his achievements as an artist. Through a deeper consideration of his travels and experiences living overseas, combined with his active study of art from other cultures, a more nuanced picture emerges: Gauguin developed a tremendous talent for rendering color and form in new and dynamic ways. This bold sensibility and approach to color, albeit shaped by European primitivism, nevertheless shook European art to the core, forever cementing Gauguin’s contributions to the history of art.

It is these references to global encounters that make Heimler and Proc’s work so powerful and thought-provoking. In the case of this work, viewers are encouraged to consider not only the historical legacy of colonialism and imperialism in the Pacific region, but also how the juxtaposition of many different cultures in today’s world is accelerated and enriched by global commerce, social media, and cultural interactions that would have been almost unheard of a century ago. The artists’ rendering of the beautiful Chinese women with knowing glances towards the left of the composition, for example, are not meant to be read as exotic objectifications – they transcend stereotypes to suggest individual women with a unique presence and strength, worldly in their own right. The primary lesson to be derived from Pacific Memorial is therefore multifaceted and complex. Heimler and Proc remind us that there are presently many lenses through which to view this global tapestry, and that we must remain open to all the possibilities. Indeed, we are much richer for the chance to glimpse into this world.