578E
$8500
16″ diameter x 59″ high.
Beautiful antique statue from the island of Nias. Hand carved from one massive block of teak wood. Early 20th century. Nias statues are simple in shape and a symbol of the achievements of a king. The hallmark of Nias statues is the human figure which is carved by highlighting certain body members.
This statue was hand carved in the spirit of Wabi-Sabi, a Japanese philosophy that beauty can be found in imperfection and impermanence. It is a beauty of things modest and humble. A beauty of things unconventional. It is the opposite of vulgarity. The costs of achieving this kind of minimalism are seemingly inconsistent with its mission of aesthetic humility. This kind of luxury is for a select few: The Emperor of Japan had a Wabi garden. Wabi is for people who already have a lot.