Drawing

1972–1973

Not on view

The Kairak Baining peoples live in the central mountains of the Gazelle peninsula, East New Britain, PNG. This original drawing is by Kairak Baining artist William Malka. It is a dynamic drawing on paper that features a range of complex iconography executed in black and red pigment on a natural background in a reverse painting style. The drawing illustrates iconography that relates to important clan designs used on various art forms including the lengths of barkcloth that are incorporated into composite helmet masks and/or side panels for composite helmet masks and used in day and night time ritual masking ceremonies. It complements a suite of important Baining masks, currently on display in our principal Oceania gallery, and works in other media that are part of this comprehensive gift from George and Sarah Corbin. George Corbin carried out extensive fieldwork in East New Britain, PNG in 1972–3 and 1982–3.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Provenance

Title: Drawing
Artist: William Malka
Date: 1972–1973
Geography: Papua New Guinea, New Britain, East New Britain, Malabunga village
Culture: Kairak Baining people
Medium: Paper, pigment
Dimensions: H. 7 × W. 9 1/2 in. (17.8 × 24.1 cm)
Classifications: Drawings, Paper
Credit Line: Gift of George and Sarah Corbin, 2017
Object Number: 2017.682.23
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

More Artwork

In the same medium

From the same time and place

Mask (Lor [?]), Wood, paint, fiber, New Britain — Mask (Lor [?])
New Britain
late 19th–early 20th century

Sunset, Eugène Delacroix French, Pastel on blue laid paper — Sunset
Eugène Delacroix
ca. 1850

Mask (Kavat), Bamboo, barkcloth, paint, Kairak Baining people — Mask (Kavat)
Kairak Baining people
1973

Woman Having Her Hair Combed, Edgar Degas French, Pastel on light green wove paper, now discolored to warm gray, affixed to original pulpboard mount — Woman Having Her Hair Combed
Edgar Degas
ca. 1886–88

Mask (Kavat), Rattan, barkcloth, paint, Baining people — Mask (Kavat)
Baining people
1972 or 1973

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