' Prow of Tangaroa ' 2001 <Ask for Price List >
cedar, acrylic, shellac - 296 x 40 x 45 cm

" In the pantheon of Pacific Gods Tangaroa was given authority over the sea and everything in it. He breathes twice a day giving the cycles of the tides. He is present in most of Polynesia ( Ta'aroa or Tangaloa )but in the southern Cooks his status rose to that of supreme god. Tangaroa is shown as the god of creation, this is shown by his large penis, a leader, shown by the big head. He was tied to the prow of the vaka (canoe) as a guardian when voyaging, hence the vaka shape of this totem. Once on land he was placed on the marae (sacred communal space ) so he could give protection and well being to the people ".

Ian George - Born - 1952 Cook Islander

Born in Rotorua, , Ian George is a prominent painter, carver and educator , who has been exhibiting internationally and nationally for over twenty years. George has participated in several residencies and returns shortly to the Cook islands for an exhibition at the national museum. His work is in several national and international public and private collections A founding member of the Cook Island Arts Association, and Chairman of the Tautai Pacific Art Trust, George has been instrumental in the promotion of pacific art at national and international level. "The art I have made over the years has been a personal journey where I have been reclaiming and reaffirming my identity as an artist of Cooks descent. I continue the traditions of our ariki and use the painted and sculptured form to tell the histories, spiritual beliefs and experiences of Cook Island peoples, past, present, future".