The name Tahiti conjures up images of the ultimate tropical paradise, the paintings of Paul Gauguin, and beautiful black sand beaches. Although the beauty of the islands was admired by the French explorers who first visited them, the savagery of the native people was almost without limit. Historic accounts maintain that the Tahitians murdered at the slightest provocation. Sacrifices were a crucial component of their culture and giving their own children to volcano gods, water gods, and sharks common ceremonies. No girl over the age of twelve remained a virgin.

Some like it blue

As times have changed and the Europeans took over, traditions may have disappeared but the spirit lives on forever. Tahiti always had some sort of magnetic attraction to artists from all over the planet, the island’s natural beauty itself is only one reason. There is a feeling to this place that one can only explain in artistically expressing the dazzling array. As many people did, Kévin Métallier went to find his intuition and as it turned out, his work is closer to home then the actual scenery. Witness Jordan Taylor, Ryan Spencer and Jarne Verbruggen exploring the wonderful spectral island of Tahiti.

Ryan Spencer

Jordan Taylor

by Daniel Pannemann
Photos: Kévin Métallier