Lucas Tangun with his brilliant contemporary
interpretation of the Founding of the Pig Clan
(Photo: D. Lepsoe)
 

Lucas Tangun was born July 15, 1969, into the Nauwaia clan of the Iatmul people. He learned to carve from his father. Growing up in Tambanum Village in the Middle Sepik region of Papua New Guinea, he was exposed to many skilled carvers and showed remarkable promise from an early age. His talent and skill are wide-ranging, encompassing both monumental works and delicate, refined sculpture.

In 1986, Lucas spent a year at the National Arts School in Port Moresby, where he also taught others. During his stay, he carved support posts for a number of public buildings, including the police station, and participated in an exhibition.

Since 1992, he’s exhibited regularly at Alcheringa Gallery in Victoria, Canada.

His works can be found in the collections of the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia and the Museum of World Cultures (Museum der Weltkulturen) in Frankfurt, Germany.