A wonderfully expressive Temens Nevimbar, Dance Marionette, South Malekula, Vanuatu . Early 20th Century.

This Marionette is made of vegetable paste modeled on a tree fern core and attaching it to a wooden stick. The face is finely sculpted featuring an elongated nose, high eyebrows and a smiling mouth from which protrudes a tongue and from its edge two boars tusks on both sides.

Reference
Felix Speiser mentions in his book ‘ Ethnology of Vanuatu’ P384 that ‘ These staffs are carried in the hand during dances..might possibly suggest the impersonateon of a demon’
‘Called temes nevinbür, these figurines were used as puppets by initiates of the Nevinbür institution, in a three-part performance intended for women, children, and non-initiates. Considered the children of three seated rambaramb figures, they appeared dancing behind a high barrier. The ritual required an old man to come out of the enclosure and crush these heads one after the other with a mallet’ (Guiart, 1963, p. 134).

62 cm. high
Provenance: Nicolai Michoutouchkine, Port Vila Texas private collection

Collected by Nicolai Michoutouchkine who started collecting Melanisian and Polynesian Art around 1957, setting up galleries and exhibitions in the area including Noumea, Port Vila and worked closely with Alois Pelioko throughout.
In 1967 - Nicolai and Aloi decide to take part of their collection around the world. Almost one thousand items were taken to Europe, where for a period of 40 years numerous exhibitions were organized by the two artists, attracting about 25 million visitors in more than 40 countries. The exhibitions had no aim of financial gain. They sought to demonstrate the dignity and creativity of Pacific Islander's art. They set up the Michoutouchkine-Pelioko Foundation and continued to exhibit worldwide.
Michoutouchkine passed away at 80 in Noumea , 2010
€2700