The Duchess of Sussex spent the evening at the Royal Academy of Arts for the opening of 'Oceania'.
It's been an incredible week filled with milestones for the Duchess; Meghan unveiled and launched her first solo project 'Together' with the inspirational women of the Hubb Community Kitchen. The event saw Meghan deliver a flawless first speech, during which she noted the importance of celebrating "what connects us rather than what divides us". Tonight, she ticked off another royal box - her first solo engagement as a member of the royal family at the Royal Academy, one of the Queen's patronages.
There was a large press pack in attendance, Meghan took a moment to wave at those waiting. Reporter Rebecca English said: "What a difference turning to the cameras and acknowledging them can make to a picture. It was really nice to see tonight."
The Duchess was greeted by representatives upon arrival.
Kensington Palace shared this photo of the Royal Academy.
‘Oceania’ is the first ever major survey of Oceanic art to be held in the United Kingdom. The exhibition celebrates the art of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia, encompassing the vast Pacific region including New Guinea, Easter Island, Hawaii and New Zealand. ‘Oceania’ brings together around 200 works from public collections worldwide, spanning over 500 years.
The Mail reports: "While being introduced to a Māori guest Meghan did a 'hongi' a traditional greeting of rubbing noses. Meghan performed a hongi with several of her hosts, including New Zealand's high commissioner Sir Jerry Mateparae."
The Duchess enjoyed a tour of Oceania and viewed exhibits from different regions including, New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Australia.
With just three weeks to go until Harry and Meghan's sixteen day tours kicks off, it seems a very fitting choice to include the Commonwealth in Meghan's first solo engagement.
Meghan met the exhibition’s curators and artists as well as descendants linked to the works displayed.
Meghan was joined by 800 guests at the event.
She enjoyed a short performance by Ngāti Rānana, a Māori cultural group based in London. It aims to provide 'an environment to teach, learn and participate in Māori culture and to promote New Zealand.
Oceania coincides with the 250th anniversary of the Royal Academy, which was founded in 1768 - the same year Captain James Cook set out on his first Endeavour expedition.
More from the Royal Academy of Arts:
The exhibition was organised around three main themes. Voyaging looks at life on the water as revealed through the stories of indigenous navigation. Place-making explores the settlement of communities and Encounter focuses on trade and exchange in Pacific cultures. Below, Niuean artist John Pule’s 10-metre-wide, 2.7-metre-high odyssey Kehe tau hauaga foou (To all new arrivals).
From The Telegraph's review: "A great cascading tidal wave of blue greets visitors to the Royal Academy’s latest exhibition, the first ever survey of Oceanic art held in Britain. This blue tsunami is an enormous ultramarine embroidered textile, 36ft long, dominating the central octagonal hall at Burlington House. Suspended high above our heads, it flows down before “splashing” onto the ground, its chevron-like pattern evoking the rippling surface of the sea. The dazzling “textile drop” is an artwork by Mata Aho, a collective of four Maori women inspired by traditional Polynesian textile art. It is also a warning. Woven out of pieces of ordinary tarpaulin, it offers a frightening vision of a plastic ocean, clogged with human junk, threatening to overwhelm us as sea-levels continue to rise."
Below, an iconic navigational chart from the Marshall Islands. It is described as "deceptively simple: this knotted grid of sticks was not intended as a literal map but was deployed as a mnemonic device to unlock the wealth of intangible knowledge required for long-distance voyaging. Using visual and sensory cues from the atmosphere, highly skilled priest-navigators learned to “read” their way through the constantly shifting landscape of the ocean; fixing a star or constellation as a point of reference in the sky, they were able to carve out pathways to arrive at their destination".
Contemporary pieces on display include 'In Pursuit of Venus' by New Zealand artist Lisa Reihana.
More from the academy. "Inspired by a set of early 19th-century French wallpaper panels, Reihana reconfigures their Eurocentric vision of an exotic and largely acquiescent Pacific paradise with a series of vignettes that celebrate the agency and customary knowledge of contemporary Islanders."
In the video below, the artist talks to curator Rhana Devenport about the panoramic video which formed part of her exhibition, representing New Zealand at the 2017 Venice Biennale.
More from The Mail Online:
A drawing of a tattoo sketched by one of the earliest Māori visitors to Britain.
A 19th-century Fijian necklace of carved whale ivory pendants suspended from lengths of plaited coconut fibre cord. Rare and valuable, the necklace would have been worn by a leader or chief of high status. The ivory of sperm whales was coveted in the ritual gift economy of Western Polynesia. Access to this resource was restricted and crafted only by specialist artists. Whales were deemed divine beings and not hunted.
The Duchess views the necklace.
This figure of a Polynesian deity, known as A’a, is one of the British Museum’s most famous Oceanic artefacts. A’a was created on the island of Rurutu, in the late 16th or 17th century. "A’a was admired by a number of influential artists such as Pablo Picasso and Henry Moore. Both artists acquired casts of the figure and the British Museum presented Moore with a bronze of A’a on his 80th birthday. In 2015, a tiny red feather was discovered, caught on a splinter of wood inside the cavity. Red feathers were considered sacred across Polynesia, so its presence is further evidence of the significance of this extraordinary figure."
‘Oceania’ will run at the Royal Academy of Arts from 29th September – 10th December 2018. It is an absolutely fascinating and hugely educational exhibition. If you would like to book tickets, click here to visit the Royal Academy of Arts website. The Oceania catalogue is available for pre-order on the Online Shop website.
Before departing, the Duchess received a posy from Rima and Kotai, whose father was involved in the exhibition.
Meghan departing.
And that's another successful milestone for Meghan!
The Duchess was elegant in Givenchy tonight.
Meghan's dress is a bespoke version of the Black Velvet-Appliquéd Midi Dress with pleated sheer sleeves (with thanks to Meghan's Fashion).
Below, the shorter version of the Givenchy Velvet-Appliqued Dress. Made in Italy, it's described as "Givenchy's black minidress is tailored with a crepe bodice and sheer blouson plissé sleeves. This style is appliquéd at the front with a triangular panel of plush velvet."
Meghan is wearing her Aquazzura Deneuve Pumps. Made in Italy, the stiletto heels are described as "A pert bow perched at the back ties together the chic detailing of a pointy-toe pump featuring side cutouts and a super slim stiletto." They are also available in red at Nordstrom.
Meghan carried her black Givenchy clutch.
And accessorised with her Birks Snowstorm Diamond Earrings. The $12,000 pair are described as "Inspired by the icy beauty of Canadian winters, these 2.15ct diamond earrings are crafted in 18kt white gold."
A closer look at the earrings.
Today marks exactly one year since Meghan joined Harry for their first official joint appearance at the Invictus games in Toronto. Little did we know then that just twelve months later Meghan would be an established working royal and the couple would be just weeks away from marking the Invictus Games again - this time as a married couple representing Her Majesty in the Commonwealth. What a year it's been!
A reminder Meghan features in 'Queen of the World' on ITV at 9.15 pm tonight.
It's been an incredible week filled with milestones for the Duchess; Meghan unveiled and launched her first solo project 'Together' with the inspirational women of the Hubb Community Kitchen. The event saw Meghan deliver a flawless first speech, during which she noted the importance of celebrating "what connects us rather than what divides us". Tonight, she ticked off another royal box - her first solo engagement as a member of the royal family at the Royal Academy, one of the Queen's patronages.
The Duchess was greeted by representatives upon arrival.
Kensington Palace shared this photo of the Royal Academy.
‘Oceania’ is the first ever major survey of Oceanic art to be held in the United Kingdom. The exhibition celebrates the art of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia, encompassing the vast Pacific region including New Guinea, Easter Island, Hawaii and New Zealand. ‘Oceania’ brings together around 200 works from public collections worldwide, spanning over 500 years.
The Mail reports: "While being introduced to a Māori guest Meghan did a 'hongi' a traditional greeting of rubbing noses. Meghan performed a hongi with several of her hosts, including New Zealand's high commissioner Sir Jerry Mateparae."
The Duchess enjoyed a tour of Oceania and viewed exhibits from different regions including, New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Australia.
With just three weeks to go until Harry and Meghan's sixteen day tours kicks off, it seems a very fitting choice to include the Commonwealth in Meghan's first solo engagement.
Meghan met the exhibition’s curators and artists as well as descendants linked to the works displayed.
Meghan was joined by 800 guests at the event.
She enjoyed a short performance by Ngāti Rānana, a Māori cultural group based in London. It aims to provide 'an environment to teach, learn and participate in Māori culture and to promote New Zealand.
Oceania coincides with the 250th anniversary of the Royal Academy, which was founded in 1768 - the same year Captain James Cook set out on his first Endeavour expedition.
More from the Royal Academy of Arts:
'The year is 1768, and Britain is in the throes of the Age of Enlightenment. As a group of artists agrees to found the Royal Academy, Captain James Cook sets sail on a voyage of discovery to track the transit of Venus and search for terra australis incognita – the unknown southern continent, as Europeans called it. What Cook and his crew encounter on arrival is a vast number of island civilisations covering almost a third of the world’s surface: from Tahiti in Polynesia, to the scattered archipelagos and islands of Melanesia and Micronesia.'
The exhibition was organised around three main themes. Voyaging looks at life on the water as revealed through the stories of indigenous navigation. Place-making explores the settlement of communities and Encounter focuses on trade and exchange in Pacific cultures. Below, Niuean artist John Pule’s 10-metre-wide, 2.7-metre-high odyssey Kehe tau hauaga foou (To all new arrivals).
From The Telegraph's review: "A great cascading tidal wave of blue greets visitors to the Royal Academy’s latest exhibition, the first ever survey of Oceanic art held in Britain. This blue tsunami is an enormous ultramarine embroidered textile, 36ft long, dominating the central octagonal hall at Burlington House. Suspended high above our heads, it flows down before “splashing” onto the ground, its chevron-like pattern evoking the rippling surface of the sea. The dazzling “textile drop” is an artwork by Mata Aho, a collective of four Maori women inspired by traditional Polynesian textile art. It is also a warning. Woven out of pieces of ordinary tarpaulin, it offers a frightening vision of a plastic ocean, clogged with human junk, threatening to overwhelm us as sea-levels continue to rise."
Below, an iconic navigational chart from the Marshall Islands. It is described as "deceptively simple: this knotted grid of sticks was not intended as a literal map but was deployed as a mnemonic device to unlock the wealth of intangible knowledge required for long-distance voyaging. Using visual and sensory cues from the atmosphere, highly skilled priest-navigators learned to “read” their way through the constantly shifting landscape of the ocean; fixing a star or constellation as a point of reference in the sky, they were able to carve out pathways to arrive at their destination".
Contemporary pieces on display include 'In Pursuit of Venus' by New Zealand artist Lisa Reihana.
More from the academy. "Inspired by a set of early 19th-century French wallpaper panels, Reihana reconfigures their Eurocentric vision of an exotic and largely acquiescent Pacific paradise with a series of vignettes that celebrate the agency and customary knowledge of contemporary Islanders."
In the video below, the artist talks to curator Rhana Devenport about the panoramic video which formed part of her exhibition, representing New Zealand at the 2017 Venice Biennale.
More from The Mail Online:
'While given a tour of the exhibit Meghan viewed many of the 200 artefacts on show at the exhibition and told New Zealand video artist Lisa Reihani 'It's so special. It's spectacular.'
The Duchess said it was a perfect introduction to the region she and Harry will be visiting next month.
'It's a great introduction to the sights and sounds of that part of the world,' she added.
Carmel Sepuloni, New Zealand's associate minister of arts, culture and heritage, told them: 'What a great honour it is to have Her Royal Highness to attend this event as her first solo duty as a member of the Royal Family.'
A drawing of a tattoo sketched by one of the earliest Māori visitors to Britain.
A 19th-century Fijian necklace of carved whale ivory pendants suspended from lengths of plaited coconut fibre cord. Rare and valuable, the necklace would have been worn by a leader or chief of high status. The ivory of sperm whales was coveted in the ritual gift economy of Western Polynesia. Access to this resource was restricted and crafted only by specialist artists. Whales were deemed divine beings and not hunted.
The Duchess views the necklace.
This figure of a Polynesian deity, known as A’a, is one of the British Museum’s most famous Oceanic artefacts. A’a was created on the island of Rurutu, in the late 16th or 17th century. "A’a was admired by a number of influential artists such as Pablo Picasso and Henry Moore. Both artists acquired casts of the figure and the British Museum presented Moore with a bronze of A’a on his 80th birthday. In 2015, a tiny red feather was discovered, caught on a splinter of wood inside the cavity. Red feathers were considered sacred across Polynesia, so its presence is further evidence of the significance of this extraordinary figure."
'Publicity material for the show warns visitors that it “includes many objects that Pacific Islanders consider living treasures”, saying “some may pay their respects and make offerings through the duration of the exhibition”. Christopher Le Brun, president of the RA, said the exhibition “deliberately avoids showing Oceania through European eyes”.
Professor Nicholas Thomas, director of the Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology in Cambridge and co-curator of the RA show, said the strength of the exhibition lay with a “sea change in scholarship. Academics and curators no longer think we're the experts, and that we should gather together objects that interest us and write labels about them,” he said. We now assume we’ve got an awful lot to learn from the communities from which these pieces are collected.'
‘Oceania’ will run at the Royal Academy of Arts from 29th September – 10th December 2018. It is an absolutely fascinating and hugely educational exhibition. If you would like to book tickets, click here to visit the Royal Academy of Arts website. The Oceania catalogue is available for pre-order on the Online Shop website.
Before departing, the Duchess received a posy from Rima and Kotai, whose father was involved in the exhibition.
Meghan departing.
And that's another successful milestone for Meghan!
The Duchess was elegant in Givenchy tonight.
Meghan's dress is a bespoke version of the Black Velvet-Appliquéd Midi Dress with pleated sheer sleeves (with thanks to Meghan's Fashion).
Below, the shorter version of the Givenchy Velvet-Appliqued Dress. Made in Italy, it's described as "Givenchy's black minidress is tailored with a crepe bodice and sheer blouson plissé sleeves. This style is appliquéd at the front with a triangular panel of plush velvet."
Meghan carried her black Givenchy clutch.
And accessorised with her Birks Snowstorm Diamond Earrings. The $12,000 pair are described as "Inspired by the icy beauty of Canadian winters, these 2.15ct diamond earrings are crafted in 18kt white gold."
A closer look at the earrings.
Today marks exactly one year since Meghan joined Harry for their first official joint appearance at the Invictus games in Toronto. Little did we know then that just twelve months later Meghan would be an established working royal and the couple would be just weeks away from marking the Invictus Games again - this time as a married couple representing Her Majesty in the Commonwealth. What a year it's been!
A reminder Meghan features in 'Queen of the World' on ITV at 9.15 pm tonight.