Culture
SURREAL VALUE
NEW IRELAND STATUE SELLS FOR K7.29M BY RICHARD ANDREWS | PHOTOGRAPH: CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD
their preoccupation with dreams An historic winning bid of €1.8 and worlds beyond reality. million (K7.29 million) for a “Dreams played a key role in ceremonial wooden statue has the Surrealist philosophy,” says drawn international attention to Christie’s African and Oceanic art the significance of New Ireland’s specialist, Victor Teodorescu. culture and its influence on “Surrealists found the Western art. confirmation of their own artistic Sold by Christie’s auction house approach, based on the reality in Paris, the 140-centimetre Uli of dreams and not on rational figure led sales among Papua thoughts,” he says. “They saw New Guinean statues, masks and in these sculptures a source decorative objects in a recordof inspiration for the breaking auction of African fundamental departure masks and Oceanic works from the Western of art. traditions of rationality The statue was part of and logic.” an early 20th century Carvings in the British collection by Wilhelm Museum particularly Carl Friedrich Wostrack, fascinated Henry a German colonial Moore, considered officer stationed in one of the most Namatanai. Other important collectors included 20th century Franz Boluminski, artists. Closely stationed in connected with Kavieng, who the Surrealists, donated more Moore began than a thousand studying Malangan pieces New Ireland to German sculptures in the museums. 1920s and they Their boxes of became a strong artefacts and wild influence on his tales back home colleagues. helped spread The European interest movement’s in New Ireland’s leader, Andre art beyond the Breton, and ethnographers. The 140-centimetre Uli other prominent The elaborate, statue that was sold by members owned multi-meaning Christie‘s auction house and exchanged sculptures appealed in Paris. New Ireland statues to the Surrealists and
The statue was part of a collection by Wilhelm Carl Friedrich Wostrack, a German colonial officer stationed in Namatanai. used in funerary and fertility rites. A century later, New Ireland’s influence continues. Controversial New York artist Jeff Koons melted down a collection of 67 guns owned by Hollywood actor Sean Penn to create Uli – a metal sculpture inspired by an original Uli statue. According to the story, Penn was persuaded to give up his arsenal about seven years ago, when he was dating fellow Oscar-winner Charlize Theron, an anti-gun activist. (Ironically, she later played Furiosa, the heavily armed War Captain in the Mad Max movie Fury Road.) Commissioned by Penn, Koons’ sculpture was sold at a charity auction for K4.94 million ($US1.4 million). Not bad, but well short of the real thing. APRIL/MAY 2022 PNG NOW 37
