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Missionaries & Idols in Polynesia is an exhibition documenting the London Missionary Society from 1792 to 1825 showing its formation to its initial ‘success’ in Polynesia. Many of the objects have not been on public display since the 19th Century.
Along with historical graphics and archives, the exhibition shows some of the idols and artefacts which the missionaries brought back; in the words of missionary Rev John Williams, it puts on view an historical ‘ocular demonstration’ of the LMS.
The exhibition includes loans of previously un-exhibited objects from the British Museum, National Maritime Museum, Cuming Museum, Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology Cambridge University, SOAS University of London and private collections to be shown together for the first time.
Guest curator, David Shaw King, is a biochemist at the University of California, Berkeley and author of Food for the Flames: Idols and Missionaries in Polynesia.
Brunei Gallery, SOAS
