Staande Arowak of Caraïb before 1839

Editor: Here we have "Staande Arowak of Caraïb," a wooden sculpture by Gerrit Schouten, made sometime before 1839. I'm struck by its somewhat melancholic mood – the figure’s gaze is directed downward, and there’s a rawness to the carving. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It feels like Schouten's trying to capture something beyond just a physical likeness. See how he's presented this Arawak man with a kind of gentle dignity, even in a state of… well, partial undress? The wood grain itself adds another layer, doesn't it? It’s like the sculpture is still breathing, still connected to the tree it came from, still whispering secrets of the rainforest. Does it make you wonder about the artist’s own perspective on colonialism and representation? Editor: Definitely! The pose seems so specific, and the cloth adds such a striking element. Is he holding something in his hands, or is that more draping? Curator: It appears to be draping but creates such a complex interplay with the skin that we can still assume its representative meaning within the bigger historical context of ethnographic portrayals. It feels a bit like he’s both concealing and revealing aspects of identity at the same time. As you mentioned earlier it contributes to the somberness. It leaves me yearning for details about this figure's life beyond just an exotic study. Editor: It definitely opens my eyes to how much I bring to my viewing and what gaps can be felt between an artwork’s subject and artistic rendering. I feel a bit of sadness that the figure and the real subject feels ever so far apart! Curator: Me too, which prompts me to want to consider the subject's real presence as being closer. Hopefully we achieved more questions for viewers than just presenting facts!