This is a wooden Asmat ancestor carving which depicts two individuals. It is entirely unpainted and was carved from sago wood with a dark brown finish. The piece depicts two female figures in an embrace, with one significantly taller than the other. The taller figure features prominent breast protrusions at the chest and a very elongated facial structure. The eyes are defined largely by the line of the jutting brow and lengthy nose. The mouth is thin and wide, open in a smiling expression. The arms of the taller figure are attached to the arms of the smaller figure at the latter’s elbows. The smaller figure standing underneath the chin of the larger figure, and is holding onto the upper legs of the larger figure. The smaller figure shares many features with the larger figure with the exception of prominent breast carvings. Both figures are joined at the feet, which form a wedge used for planting the entire piece into soft mud.
It is likely that this piece is an ancestral carving of the Asmat artist, possibly depicting a mother and daughter or other female relationship. This may have been produced for either a funerary service or other occurrence of ancestral reverence. Carvings of this kind are typically produced to represent the ancestors of their artists and are placed in the soft mud outside of their homes. Because carvings have a magical element to them in Asmat society, they are often discarded in the rainforest after their purpose has been fulfilled so that they may rejuvenate the energies of the sago trees.
Colors: Brown, Black