The Second Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Brisbane, Australia, 1996 : Report

Denise Tiavouane is primarily a painter. She is one of the founding members of the Kanak artists' association Djinu Owa and works as an assistant curator at the Agence de Developpement de la Culture Kanak. Her work draws on her cultural heritage and is informed by her experience as a Kanak woman in contemporary New Caledonian society. Les Taros qui p/eurent (The crying taros) was her first installation and comprised plant and audio components. An important aspect of this work is the reference to the taro and yam, which respectively symbolise women and men in Kanak culture , and the incorporation of traditional Kanak songs. 32