God Savage of Fijis 1957

Curator: Here we have Mort Künstler's 1957 oil painting, "God Savage of Fijis." Editor: Well, right off the bat, the monochrome palette makes it feel unsettling, almost ghostly. And the action...it’s chaotic. What’s happening here? Curator: Künstler was known for historical and genre paintings, often commissioned for illustrations. This one seemingly depicts an encounter between Fijian people and presumably, judging by the firearm, European colonizers. It really leans into the sensationalism of the era's adventure stories. Editor: I'm drawn to how the figures are rendered; very academic, muscular, almost sculptures in a frieze, yet the material culture surrounding them feels… less considered? Look at the construction of the stilt house, versus the way the human forms are modeled in paint. It feels uneven in terms of where the craft of image making is focused. Curator: I see what you mean. The artist likely referenced both live models and ethnographic documents in composing it. Remember, this was created for popular consumption. The artist had a deadline, an image to convey and likely faced editorial demands from clients about content and stereotypes to reinforce or combat. Editor: I am struck by the use of blue and gray, creating an isolating and cool feeling. The prone figures at the foreground…their bodies almost seem staged. The violence is very sanitized; note the complete lack of blood. This work is undeniably an aesthetic object used to reinforce colonial power relations. The composition positions the armed colonizer at the top, directing all other figures in the scene. Curator: I agree, and it reminds us how these depictions shaped and were shaped by socio-political narratives. It’s a product of its time. Editor: Definitely. It exposes the power dynamics inherent in its making. Looking at it again, I find the texture and brushstrokes quite telling; almost like a commercial process geared towards fulfilling those narratives of exotic savagery. Curator: Thinking about the context is key. Thanks, that sheds a different light for me too.