Abstract
In 1973, the American artist and anthropologist Tobias Schneebaum (1922-2005) arrived in Asmat looking for a culture untouched by the West, which would allow for his homosexuality while fulfilling his desire for acceptance. Schneebaum’s aspiration to stay in the area eventually led him to work for the Asmat Museum of Culture and Progress (AMCP). Through this connection, Schneebaum had access to valuable trade goods, which he then used to initiate the revival of what he considered traditional art and cultural activities.
Over the next ten years, Schneebaum went on collecting trips with Crosier missionaries, cataloged objects at the AMCP, and engaged in sexual relationships with indigenous men. These experiences allowed Schneebaum to gain a comprehensive understanding of Asmat art that went beyond the formal and contextual level to included aspects of regional ideology. This played into his notions of authenticity and consequently affected the types of objects he commissioned for the AMCP. One such commission, the Jamasj wuramon now on permanent display at the American Museum of Asmat Art (AMAA), is used in this paper as a case study. The acquisition and documentation of this carving illustrates how Schneebaum used a range of knowledge to acquire works that satisfied his personal aim to engage with the “uncivilized” aspects of Asmat society, which consequently contributed to the diverse collections now owned by museums such as the AMCP and AMAA.