Yams head
Papua New Guinea, Abelam/Wosera
Vendu
950 €
Provenance
Gallery Flak, Paris, FranceTaille
H: 16 cm
H: 6.3 inch
Description
balsa wood, painted in traditional colours with red, white and black pigment, slightly dam., minor missing parts (nose, left cheek), base;
selected yams become the central element of harvest festivals. Carved wooden heads were attached to the yams, transforming them into ancestral spirits or “nggwal”. They are dressed in jewels and finery, including body paint.