My curiosity about the “Asmat” people, who live in New Guinea, was piqued by their design of everyday utensils which are often characterized by openwork wood carving. Practically all these utensils fulfill a ritual function related to ancestor worship; the objects serve as intermediaries between the living and the dead.
I also attach particular value to a number of objects because they are symbolic of certain people and events from my past.
Ancestor worship and the openwork carving of the “Asmat” peoples are the inspiration for this collection of jewellery.
photography by Tom Haartsen
translation by Donald Gardner
Sita Falkena 