Art Library: Art of the Pacific (everyman Art Library)

The latest in the excellent Everyman Art Library series is an introduction to the principal themes and issues of Pacific Islands art, from prehistory to the present day. D'Alleva's central premise is that Pacific art must be understood not in social context, but as social context and to this aim she looks at art history, anthropology, history and gender studies. The book is arranged by cultural area-Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia-and is copiously illustrated with extraordinary objects made of wood, stone, clay, feathers and textiles.