Oceanic Wood Carving 1900 - 1918

This photograph shows an Oceanic wood carving made by Morton Schamberg. What a find! The wood is pale and smooth, and Schamberg has picked out the strange, bulging eyes and a kind of ribcage. I imagine Schamberg slowly chipping away at this figure. Looking at this, I can’t help but think of Picasso and his interest in Oceanic and African art, which also sought to depict the human form in simplified, geometric ways. Was Schamberg thinking of Picasso? Or maybe he was just really into Oceanic art. I wonder what he felt when he touched it, what kind of connection he had to this object. Making art is like being in a conversation with people across time. We are influenced by the people who came before us, and hopefully, we will inspire others who come after us. Artists look at art, and then they make more art. It’s a beautiful, endless cycle.