John Lie a Fo - hand signed silkscreen | 'Obia' | 1990

Very beautiful and colorful work by John Lie a Fo.

Signed, dated and titled by the artist in pencil. The whole is in neat condition. Pick up is preferred due to the size of the passe-partout.

John Lie a Fo does not deny his origins; The South American atmosphere is clearly recognizable in his oeuvre. His use of color, human figures and animals breathe the nature in his surroundings in Suriname and French Guyana. In the Netherlands a well-known and beloved artist, who after his academic period in Antwerp and The Hague has had many exhibitions in the Netherlands.
An obia is a spiritual force that according to animistic religious traditions emanates from the soul/spirit of a human, animal, plant or other natural phenomenon. Obia occurs as a medium or magical medicine among Creoles and Maroons within the shared Surinamese winti culture of Afro-Surinamese.
Sometimes it is to be taken in, sometimes one is to wash with it or simply carry it with one as an amulet, for example tied to a cord around the neck or upper arm, all often in compliance with rules and instructions.
According to Price & Price (1980:86), Maroons of different groups (there are six) have accessories with different meanings. Besides jewelry with purely aesthetic value, there are a number of objects with magical or religious meaning. These bracelets, necklaces, belts, etc. are worn for protection against witchcraft and sorcery.
Illness is also often treated with these items. Such objects often contain cowrie shells, called papa-moni in Suriname. Such shells were once used as a means of payment by the Papa Negroes of Dahomey in West Africa. They were also attributed with evil-repellent and lucky-bringing powers. They were said to have these powers because of the similarity in shape to the female genitals, parrot feathers, coins and herbal mixtures in cloth coverings.
However, the ingredients that can be used are numerous, because the composition of each obia depends on a particular deity, oracle or spirit. Although these objects are made as a ritual tool, aesthetic values also play a role.