modeling the ceiling elements
In May 2025, The Metropolitan Museum will reveal a new iteration of the Ceremonial House Ceiling aka The Kwoma Ceiling in their Michael C Rockefeller Wing. The new configuration honours the traditional balance of clan identities and hierarchy. An initiative of The Mariwai Project led by Chief Paul Kongi and the descendants of the original Kwoma Ceiling artists in 2019, this re-imagining of the installation is in accordance with the direct input and wishes of the Kwoma people. A delegation from Mariwai Village will be present to reconnect with the legacy of their fathers
The Kwoma Ceiling- A Journey of Shared Understanding and Collaboration
The Mariwai Project is part of a unique and inspiring story unfolding within the walls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It is a tale of bridging historical contexts and encouraging positive collaboration between this world renowned collection and the Kwoma community of Papua New Guinea.
From Village Treasure to Global Stage:
The artwork, composed of nearly 200 paintings (pangal) traditionally used to form the ceiling of sacred spirit houses was commissioned from the customary contemporary artists preparing their spirit house in the in the Kwoma village of Mariwai in 1970 and 1973 by Douglas Newton, the first curator of Oceanic art at the Metropolitan Museum. These pangal, rich with clan emblems, spiritual figures, and natural representations, embody the heart of Kwoma culture. The Kwoma Ceiling is the largest contemporary artwork in The Metropolitan Museum, New York.
The Mariwai Project: Building Bridges, Inspiring Exchange:
Today, the Mariwai Project, spearheaded by artist Shiva Lynn Burgos, embarks on a new chapter. Recognizing the complex history, the project aims to build bridges of understanding and collaboration between the original people, the institution and the public.
- Sharing Knowledge: The project facilitates dialogues between the Kwoma community and the museum, fostering cultural and knowledge exchange to mutually enrich understanding through contemporary documentary and fine art films, 360 VR tech and first hand accounts.
- Reconnecting with Legacy: The Met produced a catalog for the descendants highlighting a selection of pangal paintings and archival photographs a valuable example of the Kwoma community is regaining a connection with their artistic past.
- Recognition as restitution: The project reflects on current dialogues and debates and has a pioneering approach from a decade of continued engagement. Research and conversations on the village level reveal the community’s wishes for the future of such objects. The desire for recognition of the living contemporary culture and the ancestral connection to custodians of artworks is paramount.
- Exploring Possibilities: By giving the Kwoma a voice in deciding the artworks installation the project opens a space for exploring potential future collaborations and interactions.
Beyond Museums: A Model for Collaborative Understanding:
The Mariwai Project transcends the walls of the museum, offering a hopeful model for collaborative approaches to cultural heritage. It recognizes the impact of historical contexts while striving towards a future where cultural exchange is built on respect, understanding, and mutual empowerment. This journey of the Kwoma Ceiling becomes more than just the story of an artwork; it is a testament to the power of collaboration and recognition in building a more inclusive future where cultural heritage is shared and celebrated responsibly.
Background history:
Paul Yapmunggwiyo Kwanggi, the last living artist to have painted ceiling panels passed away in early 2024. Paul served as Chief of Mariwai village. His great historical and spiritual knowledge has been a major driver in keeping Kwoma culture transmitted through the generations with his fervent respect for custom and spiritual law. His leadership and friendship was the impetus for The Mariwai Project and our continued presence in Papua New Guinea.
Paul invited Shiva Lynn Burgos, the first international contemporary and only female artist to work in Mariwai alongside the village men. Although it is not part of Kwoma custom for women to paint and carve she was accepted as an artist and into the Kiava clan. She carved monumental wood totems and painted bark panels alongside the other Kwoma artists that together form the construction of the new spirit house TOKIMBA, constructed to replace the “houseboy” from the 1970’s.
In August 2016 We witnessed and participated in the naming ceremony and opening celebrations for Tokimba which lasted for five days. We filmed these extraordinary ceremonies using photography and video as well as both aerial drone technology and also the latest innovations in 360 degree virtual reality filming. These new components were edited to create an immersive experience by allowing the viewer to imagine being inside the spirit house as a participant in the ceremonies.
In addition, Burgos intervenes using western materials and techniques to bridge the contemporary with the ancient spiritual traditional art practices. She creates live performance installations that invite the villagers to interact with a contemporary western dialogue. She uses photography and film as a creative tool to capture and document the project and to reveal a wider story about the value of allegory, myth and the spiritual intentions imbued into physical objects. Through her anthropological research and collaborations with museums and field experts her proposition is to illuminate the relationship between the artists and the works they created now held in those museums.
Patronage opportunities for TMP x NYC
Support The Mariwai Project’s 2025 Cultural Diplomacy Initiative at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and beyond
We invite you to join The Mariwai Project’s extraordinary cultural exchange by supporting the Kwoma Delegation’s journey from Mariwai in Papua New Guinea to New York for the opening of The Met’s newly reimagined galleries.
This momentous occasion will give our Kwoma community members the opportunity to experience the renowned Kwoma Ceiling—an iconic installation created by our fathers and ancestors—and to celebrate the living legacy of our culture within one of the world’s leading museums.
For Donations under $5,000 USD
Gifts of any amount are graciously accepted for the Kwoma delegation’s budget and all donations will be acknowledged on our website. We welcome one-time and monthly donations through our secure, online platform. Scan the QR code to make a gift in U.S. Dollars toThe Felix Trust for Art to benefit The Mariwai Project.
The Mariwai Project 