Fate, coincidence or synchronicity

I shouldn’t be blogging at work, but I’m all caught up in Registration. I am not caught up in my other job however, due- in part- to a wonderful mass of work and contacts that have recently come my way. Last week I was set upon the trail of researching our Bis pole, a large wooden ceremonial sculpture made by the Asmat of Irian Jaya. This has led me to an interesting entrée into the world of Asmat art. . .

First, I got to go do research at the Asmat museum here in the Twin Cities that is run by small and relatively ancient order of Catholic priests, the Crosiers. That led me to meet with their curator, see their storage and other cool things. Nice start, but things get cooler from there. I was referenced to three people to find more information on the Bis pole, what village it may have come from and even who may have carved it. Those three people were Steve Chiaramonte, Tobias Schneebaum and the Bishop Alphonse Sowada. First off, Bishop Alphonse Sowada is huge in the world of Asmat art (trust me, more interesting to a museum geek than it sounds), plus he’s an actual Bishop (and so nice as to write me and call me right back)- so very cool. Second, Tobias Schneebaum is pretty famous- both as an artist and a scholar on Asmat art. I recently rented a documentary about him in fact (although, to be honest, it kind of dragged on)- so that’s strange, synchronic and a bit intimidating. Lastly Steve Chiaramonte, while the least impressive personality of the three, owns a gallery of Oceanic art in the same backcountry California County that I grew up in (in fact, very near where my parents still live). Strange indeed. It feels somehow fated that these people are both so nice and in some ways known to me- could life really be leading me more towards Oceanic art (rather than Africa or the Americas)?

Now that I’ve typed it all out it does seem rather geeky, not to mention boring for people not already in a tizzy about Asmat art (the Asmat art tizzy is, in fact, relatively rare). In due time I’ll get to my week’s blogging assignment, and archaeological interpretation of the St. Paul Farmer’s Market (if this sounded geeky, just you wait!). For now just know that I’m excited and really liking my job.