Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art

About this Work

Originally connected to an armlet, this figure in the form of a crocodile was produced in the Sepik River region. Known for its art, the Speik River is a region in which a number of different culture groups live, and within those groups there is a great deal of diversity in their artistic production. As a result of this diversity, it is often quite difficult to interpret or determine the cultural use of an object if that information was not gathered at the time of collection. Many objects that look similar and may have even have been created in communities close together can have vastly different meanings. Generally, it is not uncommon for Sepik River art to depict animals that have an important relationship with a community, based upon the importance of nature spirits, or as a totemic animal for a specific family.