Sepik region, Papua New Guinea, mid 20th century
Natural fibres, pigment, 69 × 48 × 11 cm
Excellent condition consistent with age.
An Abelam yam mask from the Sepik region, woven in warm brown natural fibres with ochre pigments. The elongated form and graphic geometry create a commanding wall presence, despite the lightness of its material.
Originally made for yam ceremonies celebrating fertility and social standing, such masks were intentionally ephemeral. Surviving examples retain both ritual context and sculptural clarity, their woven structure producing a surface that reads as both organic and abstract.
Due to its height, at nearly 70cm, the mask has presence and authority disproportionate to its weight. Its strength lies in the silhouette, rhythm, abstraction and disciplined pattern.
Sepik region, Papua New Guinea, mid 20th century
Natural fibres, pigment, 69 × 48 × 11 cm
Excellent condition consistent with age.
An Abelam yam mask from the Sepik region, woven in warm brown natural fibres with ochre pigments. The elongated form and graphic geometry create a commanding wall presence, despite the lightness of its material.
Originally made for yam ceremonies celebrating fertility and social standing, such masks were intentionally ephemeral. Surviving examples retain both ritual context and sculptural clarity, their woven structure producing a surface that reads as both organic and abstract.
Due to its height, at nearly 70cm, the mask has presence and authority disproportionate to its weight. Its strength lies in the silhouette, rhythm, abstraction and disciplined pattern.
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