Context (Production / use)
Kauage (c. 1944-2003) was born in Chimbu Province in the Papua New Guinea highlands. In the late 1960s he was employed as a labourer in Port Moresby and was inspired by an exhibition of drawings by a fellow-Highlander, Timothy Akis. Like Akis, he was encouraged and supported by Georgina Beier. Together with her husband Ulli, Georgina influentially fostered contemporary art, theatre, and literature in Nigeria and Papua New Guinea.Kauage's work evolved rapidly. Early on he drew fantastic creatures inspired by Chimbu myth, but soon progressed to scenes of Moresby town life and political events. Embracing colour, he went on to produce major paintings around Papua New Guinea's Independence in 1975, aspects of colonial history, and his own experience - not least his meeting with the Queen, who awarded him an OBE in 1998. His later works were often signed 'Kauage - Artist of PNG'.
Event Date
Author: maa

Context (Field collection)
Collected by Professor Dame Marilyn Stathern, William Wyseman Professor of Anthropology, 1993- 2008, Cambridge University, who conducted fieldwork in the PNG Highlands and in Port Moresby from the 1960s onward. Bought to the UK from New Guinea in 1972. Displayed in the donor’s house.
Event Date 1972
Author: Rachel Hand

Description (Labels & Markings)
Written on rear of print is '$10.00' and 'Bought by Marilyn/ from Papua New Guinea/ 1972'.
Event Date 1972
Author: Rachel Hand

Description (Inscription)
Written on rear on cardboard [now archived] in red biro ‘From Marilyn and Andrew/Christmas 1972: and “By KAUAGE/Creative Arts Centre/Port Moresby?Papua New Guinea”.
Event Date 1972
Author: Rachel Hand

Description (Physical description)
Untitled black and white print by Matthias Kauage (undated). Image shows a humanoid figure with projecting side pieces and bird above right arm. Signed “KAUAGE” in biro.

Event Date 21/4/2009
Author: maa

Description (Physical description)
De-framed for storage & conservation reasons. The card mount from the rear of the frame has been photographed and Marilyn's annotations will be kept and archived.
Event Date 6/5/2015
Author: maa

Context (Related Documents)
Section of the card used as a rear to the framed print containing text cut out and kept and moved to archives.
Event Date 12/6/2015
Author: Rachel Hand