A Fine Old New Guinea Maternity Sculpture Kambot Village Yuat River East Sepik Province Papua New Guinea

A Fine Old New Guinea Maternity Sculpture by the famous Kambot Artist Ignas Keram from Kambot Village in the Yuat River area of the East Sepik Province Papua New Guinea

This beautifully carved  Maternity Ancestor Figure is by the famous Kambot Artist Ignas Keram, his sculptures are well known since at least the 1970s when this sculpture was likely made.

Keram’s unique style shows a mother sitting and breastfeeding her baby, an everyday event where both mother & baby have a cheerful look with prominent round eyes. The mother has tattoo designs on her face & chest.

I find this sculpture has a softness & warmth and something optimistic about his style.  I have had a number of carvings by Ignas Keram but I think this is the best one I saw and when it came up for sale I immediately bought it.  I hear regularly about “the Age of Oceanic Artworks” Age is one aspect of the artwork but what about the importance of choosing an artwork that you personally find beautiful & engaging to look at, this figure is a good example, it’s only 50 years old but to me, its beautiful & I enjoy it as much as 19th Century sculpture.

Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Oceanic Art 

I first went to Papua New Guinea in 1985 for an adventure & what I found was that I really enjoyed being with the people of New Guinea, over the next 38 years I spent extensive time spent collecting and documenting traditional art & ceremonies in remote areas of Papua New Guinea & West Papua, The Solomon Islands & Vanuatu & the other Pacific Islands countries. During these travels, I made major collections of New Guinea & Oceanic Art for major Museums and Public Art Galleries

I was honoured by being in the prestigious Louvre Museum Magazine for the collections I made for The Museum of African & Oceanic Art Paris in1996 (now the Musee Quai Branly) for the exhibition “Asmat et Mimika d’ Irian Jaya April 1996 At THE MUSEE NATIONAL des ARTS D’AFRIQUE et d’ OCEANIE, Paris

See all of the links & photos in my new EXHIBITIONS GALLERY and there is the link to the article in the prestigious Louvre Magazine 1996

I have artwork for Museums & 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.