Gallery hours: Wednesday to Friday, 1 to 7 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 12 to 6 pm.

Exploring 'tatau', the Samoan tattooing tradition, as an example of cross-cultural collaboration and cultural diversity

Making its North American debut at OCAD's Professional Gallery, Tatau originated at Wellington's Adam Art Gallery before touring New Zealand and Australia. This exhibit explores 'tatau', the Samoan tattooing tradition, as an example of cross-cultural collaboration and cultural diversity. Based on a twenty-five year association with the tufuga tatatau (tattoo artists), particularly Adams' friendship with Samoan tattooing master Sulu'ape Paulo II, these photographs show a global community transplanting, adopting and appropriating the tatau. Adams' images also consider the man behind the camera and the viewer before the prints by exploring colonial photography's legacy and the search for alternative representations of our relationships with others.

Mark Adams is one of New Zealand's foremost documentary photographers. His work on Samoan tattooing, Maori-Pakeha interactions around Rotorua, and New Zealand's historic sites have been shown extensively in New Zealand, Europe, Australia, South Africa, and Brazil. His books include Land of Memories and Cook's Sites. Adams lives in Auckland, New Zealand.

Peter Brunt teaches Pacific art, Postcolonial art and theory, and Primitivism in the Art History program at Wellington's Victoria University. His research addresses Pacific art, art and cross-cultural encounter in the Pacific, and postcolonial art and theory.

Tatau at the Premiere Dance Theatre, Harbourfront Centre
Ticket holders to the Premiere Dance Theatre can see additional images from Tatau in the Premiere Dance Theatre gallery at Harbourfront Centre. The images are presented in conjunction with the presentation of Black Grace, which runs April 30 to May 3, as part of World Stage 08. New Zealand's leading contemporary dance company, Black Grace is an all-male troupe combining Pacific Island traditions with contemporary dance. Parts of their repertoire use movement to explore Samoan tatau.

Rouge will be hosted as a free exhibition by Bounty – The Canadian Contemporary Craft Shop at Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West, Toronto. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, April 17, 2008 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. An awards ceremony will also be held at 6:30 pm in the Brigantine Room. This event is open to the public and free to attend.

The exhibition can be seen during regular Bounty store hours (11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday to Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday to Friday).