Vintage Signed Folk Art Metal Sculpture, Tree of Life by Jhonson Augustin
This is a beautiful handcrafted – hand hammered, cut and engraved – archetypal “Tree of Life” piece made by Haitian Jhonson Augustin. Made of recycled oil drums, this is a true case of trash to treasure! You can tell that this was hand-cut by the artist who was Jhohnson Augustin. Haitian artists have an endless fount of inspiration. I find the most gorgeous sculptures, wood carvings, paintings by Haitian artist now and again. The theme is the Tree of Life with all the different birds on it. This is what Carl Jung would call an archetype, as it is found over and over since the beginning of human art in many different cultures. You can find the same theme on ancient Egyptian papyrus. And folk artists of many different nationalities have done their interpretations of this. You can find it in much 19th century American folk art, for example. I expect the prices for this artist to skyrocket in time as if you check out his other designs they are always classics of primitivist style. I find his metal wall pieces also hearken back to the tradition of silhouette art. And then in this particular piece there is almost the jouissance of Matisse in his Jazz cut-out period. This is a larger size and the metal has a lovely warm patina on it that looks almost bronze-like. I’m not sure what the original metal or alloy is, whether this is cut tole or some other repurposed Industrial use metal. You know the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the folk artist. I had read this artist was working from the tops of industrial oil drums. Maybe this is an example of that. This could really fit into so many different types of decor as it has that glamorous mid-century modern feel at the same time as it pulls in all that folk art reference. It would even look fantastic in a corporate setting. It really is just a stunner. Some more info on Augustin: When Jhonson Augustin’s father left Haiti, his mother took on the full responsibility of caring for and supporting her 11 children. Aware of his family’s financial strain, Augustin began learning the art of cut metal work as a child. Once he finished school, this determined individual went on to study under the locally renowned artist Serge Jolimeau. After proving that his skill matched that of his teacher, Augustin assumed the role of master artisan, helping underprivileged youths in Haiti pursue this craft. Cut metal work represents the wealth of Croix des Bouquets. This is what has made the city famous, he says. This item is in the category “Home & Garden\Home Décor\Plaques & Signs”. The seller is “sunny_sunflower” and is located in this country: US. This item can be shipped to United States.
- Style: Rustic/Primitive
- Material: Metal
- Type: Sign
- Brand: Primitive Apparel
