Mama Graun III - Study

Mama Graun III is a work in progress that seeks to celebrate Papua New Guinean women as the nurturing caretakers of the land, from which many remarkable individuals have emerged. This study serves as an integral part of the final piece, incorporating one of the earliest face painting patterns from the Western Highlands. In this representation, women wear face paint adorned with symmetrical designs created from dust and clay, utilizing natural pigments. A shell inserted into the septum serves as a decorative element.

The geometric patterns on the headpiece intricately connect the woman with the land and her surroundings, a recurring theme in my art. I draw inspiration from the environment, mirroring the way women traditionally adorned themselves with decorative leaves and water reeds found in their surroundings, covering, and beautifying their bodies.