Yangoru Boiken Wooden Talipun Face-New Guinea Art-Oceanic Art
Of the nearly infinite variety of spirit faces attached to Yangoru Boiken talipun bride price payments the rarest are carved from wood—with the vast, vast majority being of coiled cane construction. This one is delicately made, very thin with a graceful raised nose, wide open eyes and composed with several possible face readings. Notice the tiny holes around the edge where black cassowary feathers would have been attached. This piece was published in my 2011 book “Art of the Boiken” No, 101, p. 161. It was field collected in the 1990s by my friend and colleague Michael Kremerskothen of Dortmund. It is 14 ¼” (36.1 cm) in height and sells for $9000.