'Whatever happens, it's only for a minute, the scene moves on and changes, so never again will it ever be like you have seen. When I paint, I try to record the significance of the moment, images that people often take for granted and are not conscious of it until they see it portrayed.'
Across 5 decades, artist Joan Gragg has recorded how Cook Islanders live, increasingly addressing multiculturalism as it evolves on a small Pacific Island.
In earlier works Joan captures iconic island moments: women on motorbikes with their babies tied to them, or people on motorbikes carrying large household items and/or large pieces of garden equipment. In village scenes of an Umukai (traditional feast prepared in an earth oven), there are dogs under the table, there are chickens scratching in the dirt, there is laughter and tables filled with food. Her wedding series showcased the unique circumstances of island nuptials, as the bride and groom are celebrated in a hybrid ceremony of Cook Islands cultural and Christian traditions.
Gragg's use of colour directly reflects her tropical surround, the composition and structure of the work designed to catapult the viewer directly into the depicted scene. All aspects of everyday life are subjects for Joan; her central message to live the moment was clear then, it is even more pertinent now.
Gragg is also known for her series of Nuku paintings, that celebrate the unique point of view of the annual Christian gospel celebrations. The Nuku Pageant is a distinct Cook Islands cultural experience, as traditional Bible stories are adapted and performed live, in true Cook Islands style, with both humour and reverence. Humour and laughter are very close to the surface in the Cook Islands. Joan states, 'Exploring aspects of humour and place through the Nuku has made me increasingly aware that the Cook Islands is a multi-cultural society and becoming more so every year. The integration of two traditions, recognition of the consequent incongruities and an acceptance of these incongruities is a distinctive feature of the Cook Islands today. The freedom to laugh comes from the understanding of this duality.'
In her artwork, Gragg conveys the easy-going manner that defines Cook Islanders. Her works not only give evidence of the philosophy of this Pacific Island community, but also serve to record ways of life that universally evolve, often before we have taken the time to appreciate them. She is self-taught in drawing and water colour and studied oil painting at the Atelier, with Snowden Hodges in Hawaii. Joan completed a Masters of Art & Design (First Class Honours) from Auckland University of Technology in 2010.
BCA | Bergman Gallery has represented Joan Gragg since 2001.