Includes both traditional and contemporary arts, this book introduces the rich artistic traditions of the Pacific island chains of Polynesia and Micronesia, traditions that have had a considerable impact on western art in the twentieth century through the influence of artists such as Gauguin. - ;The Pacific Ocean covers one-third of the earth's surface. Comprising thousands of islands and hundreds of cultural groups, Polynesia and Micronesia cover a large part of this vast ocean, from the dramatic mountains of Hawaii to the small, flat coral islands of Kiribati. Including both traditional and.