This thumbnail was too intriguing to pass up! Hearing about how these are developed from mangrove trees was fascinating. Great editing work on the video there flipping and highlighting the tree, lol. I was glad to hear about the cemen - I wasn't being immature or crude to think along those lines at first glance, it was intended. 😅 The Sago bowls (4:05) are gorgeous! I loved the silvery example on the left. It's so beautifully designed. ..the view at 6:25 gave me pause. 🤭 My innocent eyes! lol. It's difficult indeed to think of these objects as static when there is clearly some spicy movement at play! I'd blush if I could. Anyway, there was much to learn in this one - tons of great information as always. ❤
Awesome critical analysis as always, i remember walking through this room in the MET as it was close to closing time and i wanted to see (again) some of the works of the Abstract Expressionists. However being forced to stop and absorb these magnificent creations, i can only imagine the effects of seeing (for the first time) this form of human depiction and 'tribal' symbolism, must have had on turn of the century artists. Like an almost second renaissance, inspiring artists and giving them room to express humanity in a way 'the West' had forgotten for many hundreds if not thousands of years. I however never took the time to learn about the objects, so seeing this video as always has been awesome - thanks
I spent several months traveling among the Asmat in the early 1990's. This is a great little video, but it slightly downplays the centrality of ritual cannibalism. It's a great collection though, and these bis poles sure beat the knock-off (merely decorative or non-ritual) carvings that seem to be circulating on the web these days.
I feel like the subject of cannibalism is always tiptoed around, regardless of which culture is being discussed. It’s odd, since it’s been such an integral part of so many different cultures, but it scares people and makes them think of “barbarism”, so even archaeologists and historians are apt to stay away from the topic
This thumbnail was too intriguing to pass up!
Hearing about how these are developed from mangrove trees was fascinating. Great editing work on the video there flipping and highlighting the tree, lol.
I was glad to hear about the cemen - I wasn't being immature or crude to think along those lines at first glance, it was intended. 😅
The Sago bowls (4:05) are gorgeous! I loved the silvery example on the left. It's so beautifully designed.
..the view at 6:25 gave me pause. 🤭 My innocent eyes! lol. It's difficult indeed to think of these objects as static when there is clearly some spicy movement at play! I'd blush if I could.
Anyway, there was much to learn in this one - tons of great information as always. ❤
Awesome critical analysis as always, i remember walking through this room in the MET as it was close to closing time and i wanted to see (again) some of the works of the Abstract Expressionists.
However being forced to stop and absorb these magnificent creations, i can only imagine the effects of seeing (for the first time) this form of human depiction and 'tribal' symbolism, must have had on turn of the century artists. Like an almost second renaissance, inspiring artists and giving them room to express humanity in a way 'the West' had forgotten for many hundreds if not thousands of years.
I however never took the time to learn about the objects, so seeing this video as always has been awesome - thanks
Am I the only one who saw the title as "Big Poles"? Great analysis.
Wow, very interesting. Thanks!
thanks!
I spent several months traveling among the Asmat in the early 1990's. This is a great little video, but it slightly downplays the centrality of ritual cannibalism. It's a great collection though, and these bis poles sure beat the knock-off (merely decorative or non-ritual) carvings that seem to be circulating on the web these days.
I feel like the subject of cannibalism is always tiptoed around, regardless of which culture is being discussed. It’s odd, since it’s been such an integral part of so many different cultures, but it scares people and makes them think of “barbarism”, so even archaeologists and historians are apt to stay away from the topic
I have a nice old bisj fragment in my collection. early/mid 20 century most likely. FS