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New Guinea, Lower Sepik

BiographyIn traditional Melanesian societies, including the Lower Sepik, the conventional notion of individual artistic attribution, as delineated within Western art paradigms, remained largely absent. Artistic endeavors were frequently a communal undertaking, involving collaborative efforts within the community or the craftsmanship of skilled artisans who had been steeped in the cultural traditions of their societies.

Therefore, in such a communal nature of artistic creation, attributing specific artworks to individual artists in accordance with Western conventions was a formidable, if not insurmountable, task. Furthermore, the passage of time, compounded by the predominantly oral nature of many Melanesian cultures, has resulted in the potential loss or lack of preservation of the names of artists within historical records.

Person TypeCulture