Power and Presence: Water in Asmat

Power and Presence explores the role of water in Asmat art and culture. It considers how relationships between animals, humans, and the ancestors are formed around this natural resource and encourages museum visitors to consider their own connections with water.

Why is water important? Water is a force that shapes many aspects of physical and spiritual life. In the Asmat rainforest, water is omnipresent. It is collected for daily needs and sustains complex rivers systems that are essential for transportation, trade, and recreation. Water is a recurring element in ritual practices and figures prominently in myths that are essential for Asmat cosmology. Many of these practices are currently under threat due to social and environmental changes in the region. Visual culture on display at the American Museum of Asmat Art tells part of this story.

Curated with assistance from art history graduate students Mary Agnes Ratelle and Emily Jane Magyar.

Viewing hours
10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday
10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, Saturday 

Image:  Markus Tipin, Figure Carving, 2009​
Asmat people, Safan region​
Wood, paint, string, cassowary feathers, feathers, seeds​
Purchased with 2009 Spirit of Solstice fundraiser contributions​ (AMAA 2010.01.002)