A Fine Old New Guinea Imunu Spirit Figure Papuan Gulf Area Papua New Guinea

A Fine Old New Guinea Imunu  Spirit Figure, Papuan Gulf Area Papua New Guinea

This very beautiful old Imunu Figure was made by an artist from the Bamu River Area of the Papuan Gulf on the South Coast of Papua New Guinea.

Carved from the roots of the mangrove trees, where the natural form is found in the tree, and only small carved designs are added to represent powerful spirits that dwell in the bush and in isolated swamps. Imunu, representing these spirits in their visible form is originally used to cajole or coax supernatural beings into attending to human needs and protection.

In the past, the primary focus of religious and artistic life in this region was based on these powerful spirits called Imunu.  Each clan had specific Imunu Spirits that were associated with a specific location in the landscape, rivers, or sea, and were linked to the specific clan.

Papuan Gulf wood sculpture was primarily two-dimensional, consisting of board-like carvings, known as Gope or spirit boards, and figures with designs in low relief,

Figures such as this one represented and served as a dwelling place for an individual Imunu spirit.

Villages once had large communal men’s houses called Ravi divided into cubicles, each allotted to a particular clan or sub-clan. Each cubicle contained a clan shrine, which housed the spirit boards, figures, human and animal skulls, and other sacred objects associated with the clan’s various imunu Spirits.

Provenance: Old Collection Australia & The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Oceanic Art

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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.

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