Back in early February (before moving to my new home) we visited the Bowers Museum here in Southern California. It was offering an exhibition of objects from 1200 BC, discovered in 1986 during a construction project in China’s Sichuan province.
Other smaller exhibits featured a Chinese scholar’s room and a collection of Chinese and Japanese equine art.
Scholar’s desk
Jade brush pot
My personal favorite from that early February museum visit was the collection of art from Hawai’i, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea.
Octopus hook of stone, shell, rope & wood (Hawai’i)
Vanuatu death portrait: skull removed after decomposition, then features are modelled with vegetable matter & sap
Papua New Guinea death portrait over deceased’s skull
Papua New Guinea death portrait over deceased’s skull
Dance mask, Papua New Guinea
MK pix 
I love the horse – it is so beautiful and well-lit. The death masks are pretty interesting, too, with the cowrie shells.
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I also admired that horse. Every time I see animals modeled by Japanese or Chinese artists, I marvel at how they are able to capture the spirit of the creature. This is true on so many museum visits.
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Amazing pieces of art. The Octopus hook looks like a “heart.”
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It does, doesn’t it! I am not surprised that you would notice the similarity.
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What a great exhibit, featuring so many different cultures.
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That’s what the Bowers is all about – they used to call it “ethnographic art” but now they just call it the art of other cultures. I notice that they have a new exhibit up, with photographs of the American West by Ansel Adams, Edward S. Curtis and Edward Weston. I think I must return.
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Sounds like it would be worth the visit! Lucky you!
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I love going to the Bowers Museum! It’s just a few miles from home, and every month they have first Sunday free entry, and special program! By the way, your dance mask photo from Papua is one of my favorites! Makes me smile every time!!
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Thanks for reminding me of free first Fridays! As it happened, when we went to see the lost culture of China exhibit, we arrived just at opening time and it was the first Friday of February. We felt so fortunate to get into the exhibit, let alone get in free. There was quite a line.
I love that white dance mask too!
One of these days I suspect we will run into each other, armed with our cameras.
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Great photos, MK. Personally I like the horses. The heads are kinda creepy. I wouldn’t want one on my mantel that’s for sure. 🙂
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Thank you Peter. Normally I might be creeped out by skulls. In fact, I have an aversion to walls decorated with ceremonial masks. But when I looked at those heads, I was astonished at the talent of the artisan to produce a face that is unique and expressive of personality. That’s artistry!
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