As defined by the International Museum of Folk Art, folk art encompasses a broad range of forms – dance, song, poetry, and foods as well as art. It is handmade; traditional, reflecting shared cultural aesthetics and social issues which may change over time; and is of, by and for the people inclusive of class, status, culture, ethnicity, gender, and religion. It may be for community use or for sale as income or empowerment; learned formally, informally, or self-taught. It can be decorative or utilitarian used for daily, ritual or ceremonial purposes.
Showing 13–24 of 62 results
Finely carved this Kitchen God and his Wife monitor family members from their perch above the stove. Near mirror images with layered gold officials’ robes they symbolically hold tablets to report about the family to the Jade Emperor on Chinese New Year. enhance feng shui. Kitchen Gods especially pairs are now rare and very collectible and make unique wedding and house gifts.
This antique manilla is made by the Kota in the northeastern region of Gabon and Congo. A thin wide C-shaped bracelet with an elaborate five section design, each section has unique designs with long striations, grooved crosshatches, long triangles and angled designs. In very good condition with minor losses, pitting and scratches, its rough surface inside is consistent with its age and use and comes with a wood and metal stand.
Rare antique Chinese Noa opera mask is likely a female zhengshen – a benevolent gods with kind and honest nature and gentle disposition -symbolizing the power of good to defeat evil. Age and heavy use
Pair of oil lamps for good fortune with diamond shaped double lozenge meaning many treasures, and plum blossoms, symboling the Five Happinesses – wealth, health, longevity, peaceful death and love of virtue.
This antique Nuo Opera mask is Tudi Gong, benevolent Earth god with smiling animated face, long eyebrows, hemp beard and high decorative hat. With an honest gentle disposition, he symbolizing the power of good to defeat evil. Nuo popular in Ming/ Qing dynasties, there are few remaining troupes.
This detailed male puppet head with a calm expression, round bun and half-smile was very versatile, used in religious or secular performances. Changing costumes and headgear, it could have been a Buddhist, Taoist or Popular Religion figure or deity or non religious character.
Extremely rare provincial carving with a Taoist official on top above the legendary “Spring Ox,” accompanied by the Taoist Earth God “Herd Boy” who each spring ritually “wakes up the earth” by symbolically beating the Spring Ox with sticks.
Unique and rare ancestor figure of a huntsman/soldier in the round standing on a domed pedestal, holding a matchlock musket wearing a warrior’s hat knee-length military jacket and military boots.
Provincial carving of Zhenwu the Perfected Warrior, one of the most popular Taoist deities in the Ming/Qing dynasties, iconically shown standing on a snake and turtle, symbolizing those over whom he presides.
Rangda mask of the Balinese demon-queen with scary upper fangs, missing lower fangs, jagged facial elements, menacing eyes in deep red. She is one of the most important masks in Balinese ceremonial dance traditions .
This animated mask of a jokester folk character (topeng bondres) provides comic relief, entertainment, and social commentary in serious theatrical dance dramas. An asymmetrical caricature, its open jaw allows actors to tell jokes and interact with the audience. Collected in Bali in the 1970’s, it has authentic signs of use in performances and was said to be made in Sebatu in the 1920s-1940s.
Rare mask used in Noh Opera performances depicting Zhīxiàn – a popular figure of a wise, benevolent judge who resolved local disputes and was likely used in rituals to ask the gods for blessings, health, and long life. Signs of authentic wear from dance theater performances.
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