A Fine Old New Guinea Ancestral Spirit Figure Goam River Ramu Area Madang Province Papua New Guinea

A Fine Old New Guinea Ancestral Spirit Figure Goam River Ramu Area Madang Province Papua New Guinea

This interesting sculpture of an Ancestor Spirit Figure is from the Goam or Misingini River in the Middle Ramu area of Madang Province in Papua New Guinea. This type of figure often has a series of hooks that make up the face but in this example, there is the primary standing figure that has three birdman faces or masks on top of him.

In this sculpture, the genius of the artist and his skill are clear to see. The figure has a good balance with the stacking of the figures and all of the faces appear to be men with incised beards.

This sculpture comes from an ancient tradition of artworks made to connect people to their ancestors & the spirit world. Spirits or mythical beings associated with specific clans whose powers assure the success of agriculture, hunting, fishing, and other human endeavors.

When I bought the figure it had no way to stand independently before it got a custom-made wood stand. The photos above don’t show the stand as they were deep etched.

The figure was collected in the collected in the late 1960s so it has some age, at least 50 years.

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.

My Gallery of nearly 40 years is the last physical gallery in Sydney that specialises in New Guinea & Oceanic Art. Sydney is just a couple hours’ flight to New Guinea & the Pacific Islands where all of these amazing artworks came from, Australia’s closest neighbours. 

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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.