Writers, painters, musicians… Many western artists ventured to this distant world as of the 19th century, attracted by the traditional culture of the Polynesian archipelago. A sophisticated and complex aesthetic characterised the arts of the Marquesas Islands, marked by the force of the human figure ("mata" in the Marquesan language), and particularly the large eyes that decorate the sculptures and tattoos.

Although the traditional culture suffered the incursions of history on contact with Westerners at the end of the 19th century, it managed to preserve its main codes, using ingenuity to incorporate and adapt the outside perspective. The resulting deep cultural mixing, particularly visible in commercial handicrafts which flourished during this period, ensured the survival of the Marquesan arts. A remarkable feat that not only enabled the traditional culture to be preserved but which also paved the way for the current revival of dance festivals, traditional arts and the resurgence of tattooing.