Meditations on Oceania in the Rockefeller Wing


According to the Met this gallery contains monumental artworks from the large island of New Guinea and the coastal archipelagos that stretch beyond its shores to the north, central, and eastern Pacific, as well as the two neighboring regions of Australia and Island Southeast Asia, whose Indigenous communities all share a common ancestry.  This is the area where Michael Rockefeller disappeared in 1961 during an exploration of the area while searching for indigenous art work. His disappearance remains a mystery but his remains have never been found.  

The monumental carved figures which have ritual significance as well as the many other beautiful objects invite a sense of awe.  They are both beautiful and spiritual.




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