A'a: a deity from Polynesia

This world-renowned sculpture is a unique figure in Polynesian art. An image of a deified ancestor; A’a was created sometime before 1821 on the island of Rurutu. Thirty dynamic figures stud his body; and the excellence of his craftsmanship suggests that his hollow interior once contained something of great cultural importance. Research undertaken ahead of the forthcoming exhibition revealed a small red feather lodged inside the statue and encouraged the curators to begin a range of scientif...