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About the Papua New Guinea Sculpture Garden

   Created in 1994, the Papua New Guinea Sculpture Garden brought together artists from the Iatmul and Kwoma societies of Papua New Guinea's Middle Sepik River region: Membor Apokiom, Teddy Balangu, David Kapa Kaipuk, Yati Latai, Yarume Mambegawi, Kwospi Marek, Simon Gambulo Marmos, Naui Saunambui, Jo Mare Wakundi, David Yamanapi, and Gutok Yantaka. Organized by Stanford anthropology student Jim Mason, the garden served as "an opportunity to experiment with and reinterpret New Guinea aesthetic perspectives within the new context of a Western public art space."
   Much of the garden is modelled after elements of a spirit house, the center of village political and culture life. The main area of the garden features three rows of poles that would normally support a thatched roof. Two Kura's would have been placed on top of the roof, and many of the other sculptures are ones that would be seen within the spirit house.


Sculptures highlighted in this installation

black and white image of a wooden sculpture of a man, inspired by Rodin's The Thinker; head in his hands, elbows on his knees, squatting on a pedestal
The Thinker (Yerakdu) by Simon Gambulo Marmos
black and white image of a stone sculpture, a mass of writhing bodies, entangled arms, legs, and heads
The Gates of Hell/Opawe & Namawe by Simon Gambulo Marmos and Jo Mare Wakundi
black and white image of 7 tall wooden sculptures carved with intricate designs
Wanmi and Saw Hokwa by Naui Saunambui, Yati Latai, Membor Apokiom, Gutok Yantaka, David Kapa Kaipuk, and Kwospi Marek
black and white image of three wooden sculptures painted with intricate designs, one short one medium one tall
Kwoma Spirit House Posts by Membor Apokiom and David Kapa Kaipuk
black and white image of a wooden sculpture of a man, grinning mischeviously, standing nude on a pedestal, head disproportionately large to body and skinny limbs
Kawatukit by Simon Gambulo Marmos and Jo Mare Wakundi
black and white image of plants curling around the wooden sculpture of a woman, standing nude on a pedestal, an eagle with an alligator's tail about to carry her away by her hair
Kura by Simon Gambulo Marmos and Jo Mare Wakundi