Statues --> Papua New Guinea

The East Sepik is a province in Papua New Guinea located in Momase Region, where lives the population of Abelam. In this island, the latest of a series extended from South East Asia to the Pacific, the life of men depends on the Yam. The Yam is a plant comparable to the potato and there are about twenty species of Yam grown in all tropical region and because of its tuber rich in starch it is an important food. In Abelam opinion these plants were delivered to their people together with rules for living well and until these rules were obided the yam grew easily. However when their ancestors neglected their ideals, a curse fell upon the people and from that time to grow the tuber meant hard work.

Because of the importance of the Yam the status of man depended on their ability to grow the higher and largest plants of yam. During the sacred ceremonies people presented to the village their masks created with plaited yam. We are dealing with elaborated and artistic masks which often was painted with natural pigments so that they looked like faces of men. The masks have one spirit, they can hear and see and their magnitude represents the power of those who built them after cultivated tuber

This craftsmanship is always referred only to the male population that during the six months of cultivation must completely abstain from contact with women and focused on the spiritual ancestors.

The mask chosen by Fabrizio Galli represents perfectly the Abelam style, with circles nested inside each other to represent the eyes, two round works that recall the ears and a large crown at the top to make an imposing ans solemn appearance.