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A Fine Old New Guinea Ancestor Figure Asmat People West Papua Irian Jaya Indonesia

A Fine Abstract Figure Asmat People West Papua Irian Jaya Indonesia

This beautifully caved ancestor figure was made by an Asmat master carver or Wow Ipitsj. The Asmat live on the South Coast of the Island of New Guinea called West Papua or Irian Jaya Province in Indonesia.  This interesting carving is where the body is a deeply incised cylindrical form and the hands are carved and held close to the body just under the chin. This artwork likely dates from the 1940-1950 period, it is made out of the mangrove tree and that is the type of wood that was used for many types of carving including the famous monumental Mbis Ancestor Poles.

The Asmat main creation myth is about a creator named Fumeripitsj he was lonely so he cut down a tree and carved some wood figures but they were lifeless, he then carved a drum and when he played the drum the figures came to life and that was how the first Asmat People came into being.

I spent a lot of time in the Asmat region in the early 1980’s and old Ancestor Figures of this quality in the Coastal and Northwest Asmat Areas were rare. Many of the artworks I field collected then are now in major museum collections around the world including The Musee du Quai Branly Museum in Paris, when you walk into the Oceanic Art Pavilion at The Musee du Quai Branly the first thing you see are the monumental ancestor poles from the Asmat & Mimika along with Dance Costumes Shields and large Soul Canoe , all of these were field collected by me. Originally they were in an exhibition ” Asmat et Mimika at The National Museum of African and Oceanic Art in 1996 (now that museum is part of The Musee du Quai Branly).  The exhibition the Asmat and Mimika in 1996 was published in the prestigious Louvre Museum Magazine see the link below and a photo of the exhibition above.

Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of Oceanic & Indonesian Art

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If you have a similar “object” for sale please contact me for the best price and honest advice by a Government approved valuer 

To see many more rare items and the finest masterpieces, please make an appointment with us to visit the gallery.

For all inquiries, please contact us.

A Fine Shona Abstract Stone Sculpture from Zimbabwe Africa

A Fine Shona Abstract Stone Sculpture from Zimbabwe Africa

This beautiful biomorphic stone Sculpture was made by a Shona artist from Zimbabwe Africa.  When I saw it in a gallery on a visit to New York I really like it a lot and wanted to get it back home to Sydney Australia to enjoy. The gallery tried to say I could bring it as checked luggage but I knew Qantas refuse due to the heavy weight. Not to be deterred I got it packed and sent it to FedEx freight service and it arrived in perfect condition. The sculpture looks amazing with Oceanic Art and is a joy to look at every day. Shona artists are world renowned for their art some artists have had great success in galleries in New York & London.

Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Oceanic Art 

A Superb Large Old Marble Stone Buddha Shan State Burma Myanmar 18th Century

A Superb Large Old  Marble Buddha  Shan State Burma Myanmar 18th Century with traces of lacquer and gold paint.

This beautifully carved stone Buddha from Burma is dressed in relatively simple monastic robes, defying his princely status. He sits cross-legged on an ornate platform, in bhumisparshamudra his left-hand rests palm upward on his lap and the right-hand rests over his right knee, calling the earth to witness the moment of the Buddha’s enlightenment.

The image focuses on the harmony and simplicity of the Buddha himself. His right hand is in the earth-touching position of calling it to witness his Enlightenment and his left-hand remains in the meditation position.

The Buddha sits in meditation with his left hand, palm upright, resting on his lap, and his right hand touching the earth. This represents the moment of the Buddha’s enlightenment. The moment recalls the incident when the demon king Mara sought to attack the historical Buddha with his demon army while the Buddha was meditating under the bodhi tree. But the Buddha refused to move. The demon king attempted to claim the seat of enlightenment for himself, claiming that his spiritual achievements were greater than the Buddhas. Mara’s soldiers cried out together, ‘I am his witness!’ Mara challenged the Buddha to say who would speak for him ? The Buddha reached out his right hand to touch the earth and declared that the earth itself would be his witness. Mara disappeared and the Buddha reached enlightenment.

Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of Buddhist & Asian Art

Exhibited and Published: The Art of Compassion: Buddhist Art from the Todd Barlin Collection 2018 Page 6

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The Art of Compassion – Tibetan, Mongolian, and Burmese Buddhist Art. 慈悲的藝術 – 藏傳佛教藝術

The Art of Compassion – Tibetan, Mongolian, and Burmese Buddhist Art

Catalogue available for $35 AUD Plus postage to your destination

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The great Buddhist exhibition The Art of Compassion is now showing at The Oceanic Arts Australia, Paddington, Sydney, Australia.

The exhibition contain Mongolian, Tibetan, Burmese Buddhist images and Figures.

 

With Essay by David Templeman

At the heart of all Buddhist art lies a sense of compassion. This compassion informs Buddha images as much as it does wrathful images who are merely another aspect of the more usually conceived gentle type of compassion. As any parent knows, true compassionate love for their child is not always a soft or comforting thing and to be effective needs to be tempered with its opposite. And so it is with the apparent contrast between the peaceful Buddhas and their wrathful forms – what we might regard as a separate ‘species’ of Buddhist art, that of wrath and violence, is in fact simply the same theme being looked at from a different side. This ‘Art of Compassion’ in fact reflects what we really are. Buddhism recognises that we are complex beings who are primarily united by a sense of love and compassion for our fellows despite any other differences which may exist to separate us. Buddhism teaches us that although there may appear to be many complex deities, it is at heart an atheistic system of practice in which the main goal is to regard the world and its inhabitants (including ourselves) with compassionate concern. This is in fact a sense of active stewardship in which we are all responsible for each other and live our lives with this as the main goal. Active compassion may adopt many forms and some of them may not be immediately recognizable as such. The above example of parental love is a case in point. The highest ideal of the Mahayana system of Buddhism found in China, Japan, Tibet and Mongolia is that of the Bodhisattva. This idealised person embodies compassion through their actions in the world. There is in them no sense of self, no sense of separateness from others and no sense of exclusivity. Their modes of action serve to inspire others to the same sense of a compassion which is deeply involved in the world as it is experienced. It is not a compassion ‘out there’ existing as a concept but rather it is something to be at the forefront of one’s mind at all times. It constantly asks a person difficult questions such as, ‘What can I do to help? What is the most skilful way to assist? Is this the most appropriate time to offer compassion? Am I exercising compassion for some selfish motive?’

As viewers of Buddhist art for the first time we may be struck from the start by the lack of light and shade on the painted surfaces noting that the subject is apparently uniformly lit with no attempt at chiaroscuro. This is because the Buddhist tradition of painting, even in ancient India, required no external light sources because, as Erberto LoBue notes, ‘…divine bodies do not receive light, they emanate it.’ (Lo Bue, E 2008, ‘Tibetan Aesthetics versus western Aesthetics in the Appreciation of Religious Art’, in Esposito, M (ed.) Images of Tibet in the 19th and 20th Centuries, Vol. 2, École Française d’Extrême-Orient, Paris). I would take LoBue’s observation a step further and suggest that rather than the deity radiating light exclusively it can also be claimed that the illumination of the focal deity is in fact as much due to the viewer bringing to the surface of the piece the illuminating light of their own insights, experiences and compassion. This gives the viewer an active role and a measure of involvement in viewing Buddhist art rather than relying on the image to ‘give’ something to them.

Karma and its Fruit

This idea of the viewer bringing their own light to the image makes complete sense in light of one of the three core beliefs in Buddhism – the law of Karma and its fruit, vipaka. Karma is simply the sum of the actions one performs in life and its fruit is the sum total of one’s good and bad deeds as well as one’s selfish and unselfish deeds. This ‘bank balance’ clearly shows the level of advancement or otherwise on the Buddhist path.

Impermanence and Unsatisfactoriness

Buddhist art is, at its most basic level, intended to bring about some personal reflection. It can be said to inspire faith in the sense of reminding the viewer that what is seen and experienced in life is only one dimension of what exists. Buddhism is said to be based upon a premise of the omnipresence of suffering. This is a bad translation of the word ‘dukha.’ A far better and more helpful one is its more exact meaning of ‘things as unsatisfactory.’ This translation reaches to the heart of Buddhist doctrine – that all things (including life, relationships, feelings) are unsatisfactory because at their heart they are not permanent and because as with most things, they bring with them a false sense of actually existing forever.

Buddhism says that accepting anything as if it were permanent is futile. So the question might be asked, ‘Are these Buddha forms also impermanent?’ and the response has to be a certain ‘Yes.’ This becomes clear when we look at the numerous images of Maitreya Buddha in the Exhibition. He is the Buddha of the next world-age and his name means, ‘Loving-Compassion’. To reinforce the core idea of the impermanence of all things further, there is no guarantee that even his teachings will be the same as those of the Buddha of our age, Shakyamuni Buddha.

Reconciling Opposites

In looking at the objects in this Exhibition, the viewer will be struck by the sheer simplicity of some pieces as well as the almost bewildering complexity of many others. Basically the collection may be seen as reflecting two halves of the enlightened human mind. The tranquil deities are as much a part of us as the wrathful, These complex figures have emerged from a Buddhist culture which has recognised quite readily that the human beings are composed of competing urges and that it is only in recognising them in all their bewildering variety and working with them that any progress on the path of becoming free from negativities and other hindrances may be achieved. The story of the 11-12th century poet- saint Milarepa who murdered in his youth reflects this overcoming of one’s past wicked deeds and there are several images of him to be seen in this Exhibition.

A Fine New Guinea Yamate Ancestor Board Kamoro Mimika People South Coast West Papua

A Fine New Guinea Yamate Ancestor Board Kamoro Mimika People South Coast West Papua

This beautiful Yamate Ancestor Figure is best described as a two-dimensional ancestor figure, Yamate is finely carved in slightly different forms and then incised with designs & ochre painted.

The Kamoro are also referred to as the Mimika which is a reference to the “Mimika River” where they live, they are related to the more well-known Asmat people their neighbors to the east and they both speak the same language. The Kamoro people were tired of the endless headhunting & revenge within the Asmat area and they moved up the coast out of easy reach of the Asmat head-hunters.

The Kamoro art reflects their more peaceful and gentle nature, their artworks are more subtle and not aggressive like their Asmat neighbors, they also use colours and designs that are not found in the Asmat area.

Much of the art of the Kamoro people of southwest New Guinea centers on ceremonies and wood carvings that honour the spirits of individuals who have recently died.  Portraying recently deceased ancestors, Yamate were primarily created during the emakame, a complex ritual honouring the dead and celebrating the renewal of life. A pivotal event in the Emakame was the revealing of a group of Yamate, each of which represented a specific deceased person, whose name it bore. Some Yamate were also used on festive occasions as ornaments on the prows of canoes.

In the early 1980’s I spent several months living with the Kamoro in two villages in the Eastern Mimika area, these long visits were the opportunity to really get to know people well & to be invited back to attend traditional ceremonies for The Mbitoro Ancestor Poles, during these ceremonies that last up to one year, there was the occasion when Yamate were made and displayed outside their amazing ceremonial house.

This Yamate along with other carvings collected over a two-year period in 1985-1986 are now in major museum collections around the world including The  Musee du Quai Branly Museum in Paris, when you walk into the Oceanic Art Pavilion the first thing you see are monumental Ancestor Poles from the Asmat & Kamoro (Mimika) collected by me, they were originally in an exhibition ” The Asmat et Mimika “ at The National Museum of African and Oceanic Art in 1996 (now that museum is part of The Musee du Quai Branly).  The exhibition the Asmat and Mimika in 1996 was published in the prestigious Louvre Museum Magazine

Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of Oceanic Art

INQUIRE HERE

If you have a similar “object” for sale please contact me for the best price and honest advice by a Government approved valuer 

To see many more rare items and the finest masterpieces, please make an appointment with us to visit the gallery.

For all inquiries, please contact us.

A Superb Old Maori Carved Meeting House Panel, New Zealand Circa1860s

A Superb Old Maori Carved Meeting House Panel, New Zealand Circa 1860s

This large and superbly carved interior Meeting House Panel or pou pou, is carved in the form of a powerful ancestor figure in high relief. Made from a single piece of hardwood and still retains the original paua shell eyes. The style is from the North Island of New Zealand and dated to circa 1860 by the late Dr Roger Neich Maori Art Expert at the Auckland Museum.  The panel pou pou refer to the whakapapa or genealogy of the tribe.

Provenance: Ex Plowwright Collection UK

Ex Sotheby’s  Paris December 5th  2005 Lot 32

Exhibited: Oceanic Art Pacifica: Casula Power House Gallery, Oct-Dec 2014

The Todd Barlin Collection of Oceanic Polynesian Art

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If you have a similar “object” for sale please contact me for the best price and honest advice by a Government approved valuer 

To see many more rare items and the finest masterpieces, please make an appointment with us to visit the gallery.

For all inquiries, please contact us.

A Fine Old New Guinea Shell Currency Matt Lumi Area West Sepik Province Papua New Guinea

A Fine Old New Guinea Shell Currency Matt Lumi Area West Sepik Province Papua New Guinea

This beautiful old woven wealth object from the Lumi Area of the West Sepik Province (now called Sandaun Province) of Papua New Guinea it is made from thousands of tiny Nassa shells each individually sewn onto the sago spathe and woven matt backing.  On the oval form you can see a design made with the pattern of the shells they are like two ” M” or “W”  shapes with a circle in the centre of the mat. The design is likely a stylised figure.  These woven & shell mats are called Poli  in their language, they are important wealth objects that are used as a traditional currency for bride price payments (a dowry) paid by the young man’s family.  This is the largest type of Poli and is much more beautiful than other square or rectangular-shaped examples. Fine weaving takes great skill and many many hours to make this one poli .

Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Oceanic Art 

A Fine Old First Australians Hooked Boomerang Northern Territory Australia

A Fine Old First Australians Hooked Boomerang Northern Territory Australia Early 20th Century 

This beautiful old boomerang is carved from a single piece of hardwood, it is finely incised with fluting on the front surface and with traces of ochre painting, the back of the boomerang is finely adzed with traditional tools.  Hooked boomerangs were non-returning boomerangs, they were used to kill multiple birds when thrown into a dense flock. Boomerangs are multi-purpose tools that are used for hunting and could be wielded as clubs, used for digging, used to start friction fires, and as a musical instrument when two are struck together during ceremonial dancing.  With the dramatic hooked finial, this boomerang looks like an abstracted bird of pure form.

Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea & First Australians & Oceanic Art 

A Fine Old Carved Door Toraja People South Sulawesi Island Indonesia 19th C

A Fine Old Carved Door Toraja People South Sulawesi Island Indonesia Dating from the 19th Century 

This very beautiful old door is from the Toraja People of South Sulawesi Island in Indonesia.  The rectangular door is carved in high relief in the form of a Water Buffalo Head.  Water Buffalo are very important in the Toraja culture where sometimes dozens of large Water Buffalo are slaughtered during a single ceremony. The Toraja live in the mountain area of South Sulawesi Island, most Toraja people are Christian but some are still animists.

This fine old sculpture of a Water Buffalo Head was a rice granary door.  The traditional Toraja religion, known as aluk to dolo, venerated the water buffalo as their primary auspicious animal totem. These animals were sacrificed at great funerals to accompany the dead to the next world.

Tongkonan is the traditional Toraja ancestral house. They stand high on wooden piles, topped with a layered split-bamboo roof shaped in a sweeping curved arc, and they are incised with red, black, and yellow detailed wood carvings on the exterior walls.  Tongkonan is the centre of Torajan’s social life. The rituals associated with the tongkonan are important expressions of Torajan spiritual life, and therefore all family members are impelled to participate, because symbolically the tongkonan represents links to their ancestors and to living and future kin, According to Torajan myth, the first tongkonan was built in heaven on four poles, with a roof made of Indian cloth. When the first Torajan ancestor descended to earth, he imitated the house and held a large ceremony.

Provenance:  From the Collection of the late Cito Cessna Sydney.

The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Oceanic Art 

 

 

A Fine Old New Guinea Korwar Head Canoe Ornament Geelvink Bay area West Papua Irian Jaya Indonesia.

A Fine Old New Guinea Korwar Head Canoe Ornament Geelvink Bay area West Papua Irian Jaya Indonesia.

This very fine old Canoe Prow Ornament with a strong Korwar Head Finial with traces of red paint is from the Geelvink Bay area on the North Coast of West Papua, Indonesia. It was placed at the very front of the canoe.  When I field collected this canoe ornament 38 years ago it was being kept by a family as an heirloom carving from their Grandfather. They said it was off a large type of ocean-going canoe that is no longer made due to the use of aluminum boats that don’t take months for a community to build as was done with dugout tree canoes made in earlier generations. The village in the field photo in this listing is from the same village as this canoe and I have the name of the family it belonged to. Dating from the early 20th century. The fine open work carving shows the great skill of the carver & at the top of the prow ornament is a Korwar ancestor head that has cassowary feathers as hair.  This Northwest part of the island of New Guinea had plenty of trade links with SE Asia, especially with the Moluccu Islands in Eastern Indonesia where many shared designs have come from. It comes on a custom steel display stand that makes it look like it’s floating.

Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Oceanic Art 

See my new EXHIBITIONS GALLERY  showing the Museums and Art Galleries Exhibitions that I provided artworks for over the past 40 years. There is the link to the article about my artworks published in the prestigious Louvre Magazine in 1996

I have artwork for Museums and art Galleries but also for collectors at every stage of their collecting. I want to encourage people to explore the fine art of New Guinea & West Papua and the Pacific Islands and to be able to see and touch the artworks in a relaxed and friendly manner in my Sydney Gallery. I would like to invite you to visit my gallery and see the artworks in person and also look at my website www.oceanicartsaustralia.com where there are many Galleries & Sub Galleries to explore.

My Gallery of nearly 40 years is the last physical gallery in Sydney that specializes in New Guinea and Oceanic Art.  Sydney is very close to New Guinea & the Pacific Islands where all of these amazing artworks came from, Australia’s closest neighbors.

INQUIRE HERE

If you have a similar “object” for sale please contact me for the best price and honest advice by a Government approved valuer 

To see many more rare items and the finest masterpieces, please make an appointment with us to visit the gallery.

For all inquiries, please contact us 

 

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