As one of the smallest countries in the world--and always in the shadow of nearby Australia--New Zealand is rarely given much consideration. However, it deserves a look for its history and its art, both traditional and contemporary.

Before the first Europeans settled New Zealand in 1642, the island was home to a branch of the Polynesian people known as the Maori. Their native arts and crafts consisted of wood carvings and paintings, although the Maori were physically distinctive for their extensive face and body tattoos, known as ta moko. Since all art was rooted in spiritual matters, these tattoos were used to mark the change from childhood to adulthood.

Following the arrival of British explorers, the art that came out from New Zealand was based on European standards of realism. The new paintings of Maori tribesmen and landscapes was grounded in a school known as naturalism, where scenes were painted without the need for any artistic interpretation. In addition, the European style had an effect on classic Maori painting. Figures that were once highly stylized were now painted with more solid and realistic features. The plants that Europeans brought to New Zealand also meant the Maori could use brighter colors in their work.

The 20th century saw a renaissance of Maori art and culture, owing to the rise of the Maori protest movement and sponsorship by public leaders like Sir Apirana Ngata. Naturally, this led to a blend of Maori and European styles in the art that came out from New Zealand. Painters like Ralph Hotere and Shane Cotton became highly regarded for their expression of the native culture. Furthermore, New Zealand became more modernized, allowing for the establishment of the Auckland Art Gallery, which now contains over 15,000 works from New Zealander and Maori artists.

Billy Apple is one of the better-known modern artists to come out of New Zealand. After studying at the Royal College of Art in London, he came to New York during the 1960s, where he achieved acclaim with other pop artists like Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns in the 1964 exhibition American Supermarket. Apple is known for his creative use of neon colors and light, and for turning mundane objects into abstract art. Because of his chosen name, he takes the apple as a recurring image and tries to test the ideas behind art and brands in his work. Apple was even successful in getting his own name registered as a trademark. In this way, he represents a sign of the creative spirit that has come out of modern New Zealand.

To see the work of Billy Apple and other New Zealand artists, you can visit the Auckland Art Gallery, the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington, and the Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst in Ghent, Belgium.

Image by Tim Parkinson on Flickr