Polynesianising and regenerating urban spaces: An analysis of the artworks and interventions of the Centre des Métiers d'Art de Polynésie française and of its artists

Abstract

This article studies the relationships that the Centre des Métiers d’Art de la Polynésie française (CMA—Centre for Arts and Crafts of French Polynesia), five contemporary artists connected to it, and their artworks, have with the city of Pape'ete and its urban environment. The first part analyses the teaching philosophy of the CMA and foregrounds its role as a tool of social mobility for its students and in reinforcing positive representations of Indigenous Polynesians and heritage. The second part examines how the initiatives led by the CMA in Pape'ete are invitations to a shift in mindset. The third part explores how the artists express and reflect on their sense of belonging and highlights how their relationship with urban areas is enriched by their life experiences and their family roots in broader territories.