les idées bonsai (ideas bonsai)
The work of New Calédonian artist Rene Boutin was first seen in Australia at the ARX 3 exhibition held in Perth in 1993.1 The installation included there commented on the post-colonial state of consciousness which Boutin argues exists in his country at the moment. Traditional and contemporary New Calédonian art practices are relatively unknown in Australia and during Boutin's first and subsequent visits it has become increasingly evident that his distinctive work, and its position in one of the major South Pacific cultures, is well worth investigating, not only in its own right, but also for the development of cultural understanding between New Calédonia and Australia.
Yet regardless of his international contribution, Rene Boutin is far from enjoying widespread popularity in his own country. While many New Calédonian artists recognise the validity and importance of his work, and several consider him their mentor, exposure to and appreciation of his work on the part of the general public is very limited.
For many years Boutin's work has expressed concern for the state of his country's physical environment and for the politics of its cultural and ethnic mix. His early works were large representational drawings of native plants. These were followed by more abstract paintings that at times included traditional symbolic Kanak designs. In recent years, Boutin has felt that installation is the most effective and appropriate means through which he can shape his ideas. This appreciation of the cogency of installation as conveyor of meaning comes from his long-term interest in the Kanak traditional garden in which the spatial positioning of the vegetation corresponds to the traditional function of each individual within the society. Boutin believes that the importance of spatial... The rest of this article is available to subscribers of Eyeline