Papua New Guinea art objects and artifacts | suspension hook
What I love about New Guinea art is the freedom individual artists had to literally wing it, to not just stick to existing styles but to create something uniquely their own. There is a competitive one-upmanship prevalent in most New Guinea cultures—especially along the Sepik River where this ingenious suspension hook originates. This is classic Middle Sepik River, probably Iatmul people. The naturally occurring root form has been transformed into a bird in flight that at the same time was meant to be hung bird head down to hold string bags filled with important possessions. On this example there are nice remains of red pigments and an aged patina. The piece dates to the early 20th century, is 24 7/8” (63.2 cm) in length as mounted and the price is available upon request. Questions?