Asmati Primitif
(click image to enlarge)
Pam Dixon

The Asmat people of Indonesia have historically used ideographs and designs as an art form in magic practices and decoration. Although the Asmat people do not have a traditional written language, the ideographs and symbols have specific meanings. This ceramic plate contains a series of these images, as recorded by the researcher Dr. Tobias Schneebaum in his book Asmat Images (1985). The plate’s Asmat images are juxtaposed with modern cartoon images, also a form of pictoral expression.

The Asmat people of Indonesia, subsisting in their environment of Alluvial Swamp, Lowland Swamp and Rain Forest, have been isolated for centuries. They have no fields to plow, no flora or fauna to cultivate and were cannibals and headhunters. All of which brings me to the non-sensible idea of juxtaposing my world of art, collage, painting, and ceramics with their world of survival.

During this Pandemic, I have nothing but time. On another lengthy stay-at-home day I found myself focused on an unfinished ceramic work depicting the Asmat ideographs. After a day staring at the piece, I dragged out some old Archie comic books and a WWD fashion magazine and went to work with a pair of scissors. A favorite process, collage, and juxtaposition.