Bahinemo Hook Mask, Hunstein Mountains, Papua New Guinea

garra
height 25in (63.5cm)

Provenance
Philip and Rosalind Goldman Collection, London
James Barzyk Collection, Florida

This fine garra represents the fantastic surrealism embodied in artwork from the Bahinemo culture. The mask is finely carved, most likely without the use of metal tools, in hard wood in a flat, oval, tray-like form with three concentric circles bordering the face with two cylindrical projecting eyes above a diminutive pierced mouth; two hook elements pointing downward above and one pointing upward below; light gray/brown weathered surface with wear indicative of significant age.