Heirlooms Of Past For Future

‘Maori — Their Treasures Have a Soul,’ an exhibition of Maori art and artifacts at the Quai Branly Museum in Paris on through 22 January, juxtaposes ancestral heirlooms with contemporary art, architecture, photography, film and audiovisual work. The Quai Branly show, direct from Te Papa presents the case that, aesthetically and philosophically, people, places and objects are indistinguishable, as are the past, present and future. “This is Maori culture and history seen through Maori eyes,” director of Te Papa Michelle Hippolite said. “The juxtaposition of past and present is very important — this is a living culture and we are presenting our heritage from a living perspective.”