sculpture god

"Akiligo is a god that is worshipped by northerners, and if the god is pacified during the Harmattan season it gives the people a bountiful harvest. Akiligo is often believed to bless his devotees with rains, abundance and peace of mind." Inspired by this generous god, artisan Emmanuel Austin Ankude hand-carves a sese wood sculpture in a traditional style. The final touch is the steel ring on the figure's headdress.

The Hindu god Indra, god of the sky and creator of storms, is depicted in this striking and elaborate sculpture from Bali. Wayan Rendah works in rich suar wood, diligently hand-carving Indra atop a giant lily flower with an impressive level of detail on his regal clothing.

"Agorkoli is a peaceful Togolese god that led the Ewe people from Togo to Ghana where they reside now," says artisan Emmanuel Austin Ankude of his original sculpture. He works in native sese wood to hand-carve the intriguing statuette.

Give peace a chance with this breathtaking suar wood sculpture by Balinese artisan Nyoman Sudiana. "To achieve peace, there are several things that must be created, namely the availability of basic human needs which consist of clothing, food, and shelter. In the world, there is also a harmonious relationship that must be preserved starting from ourselves, namely humans with God, humans with fellow creatures created by God, and humans with the universe's environment. If it has been created in us, we will feel that peace, and our lives will feel more comfortable and peaceful," says the artist.

In this statue, each of these pillars of peace has the following meaning:

• The doves are a symbol of purity and hope, tenderness of devotion. Doves are also associated with the third chakra, which is connected to purpose, creativity, self-expression, and ego.
• The globe is a symbol of the earth itself where we as God's creatures are the inhabitants of the world.3. The two hands symbolize human efforts to care for and maintain a strong life hand in hand to create peace for all mankind and the rest of nature.
• The two pillars symbolize justice and prosperity in which every human being must be able to meet the needs of clothing, food, and shelter for a comfortable life in the world.
• The nuclear disarmament motif symbolizes the Anti-War Movement design by Gerald Holtom on February 21, 1958. This symbol is a combination of semaphore signals for the letters N and D which stand for nuclear disarmament.
• Two open fingers symbolize victory in the struggle.

Famous for his wisdom and intelligence, elephant-headed Ganesha is one of Hinduism's most worshipped deities. Balinese artisan Wayan Kandiyasa hand carves the statuette from pale sandstone, carefully engraving the reclining god with intricate, life-like details.

This elegant angle wears green, a colour thought to represent hope and new life. Molded and painted by hand, the heavenly messenger features colonial-era style wings and a gown motif of interlocked circles. Believing God set her on this path, artist Arlen Estrada has dedicated herself to creating ceramic pieces that take their inspiration from Nicaragua's past, both colonial and indigenous.