Tapa, Oceanic Art, Tribal Art, Primitive Art, Oceania, Traditional Fabric, 66 X 54 Cm

Fragment of a tapa dance skirt collected in the Popondetta area in Papua New Guinea. Tapa is the earliest known fabric used in this region of the world. It had a variety of uses: clothing, shrouds, blankets, mosquito nets, bags, and, in the case of certain high-quality pieces, a form of prestige currency. Tapa from the Popondetta region is made from the bark of the paper mulberry tree and is used as dance skirts. The bark is stripped, moistened, pounded, and dried. Beating the bark compacts the fibers and binds them together. Depending on the beating technique, the thickness, texture, and suppleness of the fabric vary. The patterns depicted evoke, in an abstract and symbolic way, a number of important events or facts. Beaten bark and natural pigments. Beautifully framed between two panes of glass. Approx. 66 x 54 cm / €200, shipping included.