Geosiapo - The Savage Sea
SKU:
300_GS_TSVGS
NZ$499.99
NZ$499.99
Unavailable
per item
Samoan Siapo Inspired wooden wall art.
Dimensions W: 295mm, H: 295mm, D: 18mm
Weight: 1.0kg
Material: V-Carved MDF, Acrylic Paint, Spray Varnish, Hanging Wire
Limited to: 13
Your unique limited edition art piece
Roy McDougall makes your exclusive signed art piece
We ship for $25 within NZ and from $50 internationally
Your artwork arrives ready to hang.
This Artwork is Not Weatherproof
1 available
The Geosiapo - The Savage Sea Story:
Geosiapo - The Savage Sea is part of the Geosiapo Series.
Geosiapo - The Savage Sea is inspired by Gordon Walters' Koru Series and ultimately Polynesian Siapo design. The design features parallel lines representing the sea and decorated with disorderly triangles which in Polynesia represents Shark's Teeth. The lines use a bright Ago (yellow) to maximise contrast against the black background.
Shark's Teeth
Sharks are regarded as fearless hunters, powerful creatures that dominate the oceans. Based on their characteristics and on myths and legends, sharks (and therefore the shark teeth motifs used to represent them) are symbolic of strength, guile, protection and guidance. Triangles are an ubiquitous element in Polynesian art and the simplest, most common way to represent shark teeth.
It's not a universal symbol though, since triangles can also represent other elements like trochus shells, bonito, tree roots, mountains and more. Infinite patterns can be created, and several different motifs can be seen in Hawaiian traditions, where they are called niho mano (many teeth). Specific combinations are handed down within some families, being part of their heritage, and their use is restricted to those families only. Shark teeth as symbols of sharks can also represent an 'aumakua, an entity with supernatural powers (usually a deified ancestor or a spirit), which appears to men in the form of an animal, to give them advice, omens and sometimes punishments. In the case of deified ancestors, families will maintain in time a special relation to their specific animals. The role of the 'aumakua is not so different from the totemic animals of Native Americans: they bring messages and guide and protect us. We must learn their lesson and respect them in order to preserve the bond with them and be protected.
The Sea
The Pacific Ocean is a constant, ubiquitous presence in the life of peoples from the Pacific islands, granting life to those who turned to it for food. Different geographical locations gave different characteristics, which heavily influenced the traditions and art of the inhabitants. Tattoos were lighter and more symmetrical where the ocean was easily accessible, and with it its resources, people considered it as a second home, a giver of life, like in Samoa and Fiji.
Tattoos were consequently darker, asymmetrical and richer with war related elements where the islands were steeper and without protection from the oceanic waves, fishing was harder and more dangerous, which led to inhabitants fighting against for the best fishing grounds. Lighter areas are believed to symbolise shallow waters and banks of sand and dark areas symbolise deep waters.
Waves represent change and continuity through change. Moving against opposing waves are symbols used in Tahitian tattoos to show adversities, while favorable waves are symbols for positive changes. Waves going upward were used to symbolize striving for improvement, they also symbolise voyage, tradition and a place of rest.
Maori believed the Sea was a place of rest, and that all of their dead left from the northernmost point of Aotearoa, Cape Reinga, back to Hawaiki, to the land of their ancestors. They used patterns called ngaru (waves) to reproduce the ripples caused by the canoe cutting through water to symbolize speed and travel.
Samoan Siapo
Siapo is a Samoan word for tapa or bark cloth that has been painted or imprinted with various design motifs. There are two types of siapo which differ mainly in how the design motif is applied on the bark cloth and the colors used.
Two techniques are used in creating designs: siapo ‘elei (the rubbing method) and siapo mamanu (the freehand method). Siapo ‘elei uses a design board (upeti) to imprint designs on the bark cloth. An unfinished cloth is placed on a upeti that has been covered with dye; the top surface is then rubbed to transfer the design from the board to the cloth. In the siapo mamanu method, each design image is hand painted on the surface of the cloth, allowing for greater artist creativity.
The preparation process involved in the materials used to create Siapo is an art itself. The canvas of Siapo is the bark of the Paper Mulberry Tree. This cloth is known as u'a. The process of preparing the u'a includes harvesting, stripping, separating, scraping, and beating. Once the process is complete, the u'a is laid out to dry.
The dyes used in Samoan Siapo also come from nature. The dyes are o'a, lama, loa, ago and soa'a. O'a is the brown dye and is the base for all other dyes. It is extracted from the bark of the Blood Tree, also known as the Bishofia Javanica. Lama is the black dye and comes from the kernel of the Candlenut. Loa is the red dye and comes from the Lipstick Tree. Ago is the yellow dye. It is extracted from roots of Tumeric. The traditional design elements used in siapo decoration are typically plant or animal motifs or other images from Samoan life. Common examples include fa’a’ali’ao (trochus shell), fa’a’aveau (starfish), and fa’a masina (rolled pandanus leaves). Design motifs are typically presented within a grid created by rectangular or oblong sections.
Gordon Walters Koru Series (Extract from Wikipedia)
Gordon Frederick Walters (24 September 1919 – 5 November 1995) was a Wellington-born artist and graphic designer who is significant to New Zealand culture due to his representation of New Zealand in his Modern Abstract artworks.
As Gordon Walters' designs progressed, New Zealand shapes and ideas were important themes. The geometric spiral form of the koru began appearing consistently in his work from the late 1950s. His design straightened the stem of the koru in a way not seen in customary Māori contexts. Walters stated “My work is an investigation of positive/ negative relationships within a deliberately limited range of forms; the forms I use have no descriptive value in themselves and are used solely to demonstrate relations. I believe that dynamic relations are most clearly expressed by the repetition of a few simple elements.” From the mid-1980s, Walters was accused of exploitative appropriation of Māori art by several critics, both Māori and Pākehā (European New Zealander).
Creating the Geosiapo
I created the design in Auckland, starting with a digital illustration, then bringing the illustration into my CNC Program where I design the cutting paths. From the paths I generate the g-code or CNC cutting code ready for the carving process. The material is loaded on the CNC machine and the piece is carved in around an hour. The carved art piece is then inspected, sanded, coloured, varnished and finally a hanging wire installed.
As you can see to create this sculpted piece there are many processes involved making it a truly special and bespoke item.
Packaging:
The item will be packaged with bubble wrapping inside a cardboard outer box.
Delivery:
The item will be couriered to your chosen destination. Courier and Shipping times TBC
Geosiapo - The Savage Sea is part of the Geosiapo Series.
Geosiapo - The Savage Sea is inspired by Gordon Walters' Koru Series and ultimately Polynesian Siapo design. The design features parallel lines representing the sea and decorated with disorderly triangles which in Polynesia represents Shark's Teeth. The lines use a bright Ago (yellow) to maximise contrast against the black background.
Shark's Teeth
Sharks are regarded as fearless hunters, powerful creatures that dominate the oceans. Based on their characteristics and on myths and legends, sharks (and therefore the shark teeth motifs used to represent them) are symbolic of strength, guile, protection and guidance. Triangles are an ubiquitous element in Polynesian art and the simplest, most common way to represent shark teeth.
It's not a universal symbol though, since triangles can also represent other elements like trochus shells, bonito, tree roots, mountains and more. Infinite patterns can be created, and several different motifs can be seen in Hawaiian traditions, where they are called niho mano (many teeth). Specific combinations are handed down within some families, being part of their heritage, and their use is restricted to those families only. Shark teeth as symbols of sharks can also represent an 'aumakua, an entity with supernatural powers (usually a deified ancestor or a spirit), which appears to men in the form of an animal, to give them advice, omens and sometimes punishments. In the case of deified ancestors, families will maintain in time a special relation to their specific animals. The role of the 'aumakua is not so different from the totemic animals of Native Americans: they bring messages and guide and protect us. We must learn their lesson and respect them in order to preserve the bond with them and be protected.
The Sea
The Pacific Ocean is a constant, ubiquitous presence in the life of peoples from the Pacific islands, granting life to those who turned to it for food. Different geographical locations gave different characteristics, which heavily influenced the traditions and art of the inhabitants. Tattoos were lighter and more symmetrical where the ocean was easily accessible, and with it its resources, people considered it as a second home, a giver of life, like in Samoa and Fiji.
Tattoos were consequently darker, asymmetrical and richer with war related elements where the islands were steeper and without protection from the oceanic waves, fishing was harder and more dangerous, which led to inhabitants fighting against for the best fishing grounds. Lighter areas are believed to symbolise shallow waters and banks of sand and dark areas symbolise deep waters.
Waves represent change and continuity through change. Moving against opposing waves are symbols used in Tahitian tattoos to show adversities, while favorable waves are symbols for positive changes. Waves going upward were used to symbolize striving for improvement, they also symbolise voyage, tradition and a place of rest.
Maori believed the Sea was a place of rest, and that all of their dead left from the northernmost point of Aotearoa, Cape Reinga, back to Hawaiki, to the land of their ancestors. They used patterns called ngaru (waves) to reproduce the ripples caused by the canoe cutting through water to symbolize speed and travel.
Samoan Siapo
Siapo is a Samoan word for tapa or bark cloth that has been painted or imprinted with various design motifs. There are two types of siapo which differ mainly in how the design motif is applied on the bark cloth and the colors used.
Two techniques are used in creating designs: siapo ‘elei (the rubbing method) and siapo mamanu (the freehand method). Siapo ‘elei uses a design board (upeti) to imprint designs on the bark cloth. An unfinished cloth is placed on a upeti that has been covered with dye; the top surface is then rubbed to transfer the design from the board to the cloth. In the siapo mamanu method, each design image is hand painted on the surface of the cloth, allowing for greater artist creativity.
The preparation process involved in the materials used to create Siapo is an art itself. The canvas of Siapo is the bark of the Paper Mulberry Tree. This cloth is known as u'a. The process of preparing the u'a includes harvesting, stripping, separating, scraping, and beating. Once the process is complete, the u'a is laid out to dry.
The dyes used in Samoan Siapo also come from nature. The dyes are o'a, lama, loa, ago and soa'a. O'a is the brown dye and is the base for all other dyes. It is extracted from the bark of the Blood Tree, also known as the Bishofia Javanica. Lama is the black dye and comes from the kernel of the Candlenut. Loa is the red dye and comes from the Lipstick Tree. Ago is the yellow dye. It is extracted from roots of Tumeric. The traditional design elements used in siapo decoration are typically plant or animal motifs or other images from Samoan life. Common examples include fa’a’ali’ao (trochus shell), fa’a’aveau (starfish), and fa’a masina (rolled pandanus leaves). Design motifs are typically presented within a grid created by rectangular or oblong sections.
Gordon Walters Koru Series (Extract from Wikipedia)
Gordon Frederick Walters (24 September 1919 – 5 November 1995) was a Wellington-born artist and graphic designer who is significant to New Zealand culture due to his representation of New Zealand in his Modern Abstract artworks.
As Gordon Walters' designs progressed, New Zealand shapes and ideas were important themes. The geometric spiral form of the koru began appearing consistently in his work from the late 1950s. His design straightened the stem of the koru in a way not seen in customary Māori contexts. Walters stated “My work is an investigation of positive/ negative relationships within a deliberately limited range of forms; the forms I use have no descriptive value in themselves and are used solely to demonstrate relations. I believe that dynamic relations are most clearly expressed by the repetition of a few simple elements.” From the mid-1980s, Walters was accused of exploitative appropriation of Māori art by several critics, both Māori and Pākehā (European New Zealander).
Creating the Geosiapo
I created the design in Auckland, starting with a digital illustration, then bringing the illustration into my CNC Program where I design the cutting paths. From the paths I generate the g-code or CNC cutting code ready for the carving process. The material is loaded on the CNC machine and the piece is carved in around an hour. The carved art piece is then inspected, sanded, coloured, varnished and finally a hanging wire installed.
As you can see to create this sculpted piece there are many processes involved making it a truly special and bespoke item.
Packaging:
The item will be packaged with bubble wrapping inside a cardboard outer box.
Delivery:
The item will be couriered to your chosen destination. Courier and Shipping times TBC