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1. Hunchback riding a dog Central Highlands, Vietnam Beg. XX century wood H: 168 cm |
The bent shape of the original lump of wood, matrix of every Giarai work of art, clearly appears in the rough cut figure. The natural torsion of the tree trunk confers violence and tension to the figure, the strong expression of the protruding face resumes the spasmodic movement that runs trough his whole body. Proportions are powerfully distorted, probably emphasizing its presence on the original location, where it used to be set on a wooden pillar around the dead house, as a part of a funerary crowd. The hunchback mushroom-shaped hat adds to the heaviness of his head, while in this inverted balance his mount appears even smaller. The whole figure’s emanation oscillates between humour and threat and gives us a hint about the Giarai’s attitude towards death, and the intentions of their many spirits. The statue definitely features a living, supposed to provide joyful company to the dead; its realistic, narrative style therefore adopts such a vivid expression. |