Tatau: Author biographies and 10 questions
The Ten-Question Q&A with the authors of ‘Tatau: Samoan Tattoo, New Zealand Art, Global Culture’.
Tatau: Sāmoan Tattoo, New Zealand Art, Global Culture
The story of Sāmoan tattoo art and the work of Su‘a Sulu‘ape Paulo II.
By Sean Mallon, Nicholas Thomas, and Peter Brunt, photographs by Mark Adams
Publication: May 2023
Pages: 308
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 978-1-99-115098-1
RRP: $75
BuyTatau: Sāmoan Tattoo, New Zealand Art, Global Culture
When Tatau was first published in 2010, Mark Adams’ renowned images documenting a great Polynesian art tradition were a revelation. It told the story of the late Sulu‘ape Paulo II, the pre-eminent figure of modern Sāmoan tattooing. A brilliantly innovative and often controversial man, he saw tatau as an art of international importance. Tatau documented his practice, and that of other , in the contexts of Polynesian tattooing, Sāmoan migrant communities and New Zealand art.
Long out-of-print, this revised and extended new edition, with its handsome large format and texts by distinguished scholars, makes a cultural treasure available once more.
Review highlights
E-Tangata, reviewed by Pakilau Manase Lua. “This handsome coffee-table book is a feast for the eyes of tatau connoisseurs and the tattooing fraternity …”
NZ Herald (premium content), Tatau: Photographer Mark Adams’ intimate study of Samoan tattoo art.
Sunday Star-Times Sunday magazine photo feature and extract.
The Listener, six-page feature ‘Body of Work’, May 20, 2023.
Journal of New Zealand & Pacific Studies, reviewed by Lisa Renard. “More than a second edition, this revised volume realizes a complex artistic vision through the sustained collaboration of an artist, academics, curators and publishers. The book is likely to captivate not only specialists in the Polynesian art tradition of tatau, its globalization and the history of the Pacific diaspora in Aotearoa New Zealand, but also a broader audience interested in tattooing and photography as living arts.”
Author interviews
Peter Brunt interviewed in New Zealand Herald’s Canvas magazine
Peter Brunt interviewed on 531PI.
Peter Brunt interviewed on Radio Samoa.
About the contributors
Tatau: A History of Sāmoan Tattooing
A beautifully designed and richly illustrated retelling of the unique and powerful history of Sāmoan tattooing, from 3,000 years ago to modern practices.