Hopi Kwahu - Eagle Kachina Doll Carving [SOLD]

Kevin Pochoema (1965- ) is one of the finest creators of contemporary Hopi Katsina carvings.  Pochoema was born in Flagstaff, Arizona, on February 2, 1965. He is a member of the Greasewood Clan. His works have been featured prominently in numerous books about Hopi Pueblo carvings and are included in many prominent public and private collections.

Pochoema’s most recent creation is a Kwahu or “Eagle” Katsina carving.  Barton Wright’s Kachinas: A Hopi Artist’s Documentary provides an excellent description of the Kwahu’s appearance and function: “Occasionally in one of the night ceremonies in March or during the Powamu one may have the satisfaction of seeing a performance of the Eagle Kachina. Usually the personator imitates the step or motion and cry of the eagle to absolute perfection. There is evidence that this Kachina was imported into Zuni from the Hopi and is danced there in much the same manner as it is at Hopi.  This may be why the Eagle may appear during Pamayu on First Mesa with Zuni Kachinas.”

Pochoema beamed with pride when he delivered his Kwahu to Adobe Gallery, and he did so for good reason: It is one of the finest of his carvings that we have had the pleasure of handling.  It is incredibly rare to see a Kachina with such palpable energy. The state in which the artist depicted his subject—in motion, in performance—is what gives the carving such a uniquely powerful presence.  Kwahu is crouched down, with one knee just above the ground, standing on his toes. His torso leans forward and to his right, tilting his head to the right along with it. Most impressive are his arms—and the attached feathered wings—which reach up towards the sky.  Kwahu appears to be preparing to swing his arms downward, flapping his feathered wings. The wings’ tips meet at the carving’s highest point, creating an amazing archway of intricately detailed feathers. When describing the creation of the piece, Pochoema noted that these feathers alone required three days’ work.

Pochoema is known for the remarkable detail with which he crafts his carvings.  This Kwahu may be one of his finest achievements in that regard, too, as the entire piece seems to have received the extra attention he usually reserves for his subjects’ most prominent features.  The aforementioned wings are an obvious highlight, but a studied look at the carving reveals truly amazing work, quite literally head to toe. Kwahu’s hands and feet, with their visible joints and nails, are depicted realistically and sensitively.  His mask, feathered headdress and evergreen ruff are represented in incredible detail, as is typical of the artist’s work. Just as remarkable is the lower half of the carving. Kwahu’s kilt, with its surprisingly realistic wrinkles and folds, wraps around Kwahu’s knees and brushes along the ground.  His sash, too, twists and turns down towards the ground, adding to the piece’s already impressive feeling of movement.

Pochoema—who used to create paintings on paper, too—did a fantastic job with the paint and stain on this piece, using a wide variety of colors and paying careful attention to the intricacies of Kwahu’s ceremonial attire.  The artist’s excitement about this piece is justified, as it is a true compositonal and technical marvel. 

Provenance: this Hopi Kwahu - Eagle Kachina Doll Carving is from the artist

Condition: original condition

Reference: Wright, Barton. Kachinas: a Hopi Artist’s Documentary, Northland Publishing,1973

Photo of the artist - Adobe Gallery