Gift of Lillian Pitt.

Gift of Lillian Pitt.

Many of Chapman’s works combine a surrealist vision with a very Native American sense of humor. Often, his compositions feature a window that seems to float in space and looks out into a forest. In some instances, there are otherworldly creatures that stare back through the glass and confront the viewer in a very unsettling manner. In Deer Departed, Chapman has outlined a deer head in the broken window and makes a pun out of the title.

Figure of Maximon/San Simon seated on a chair and festooned with offerings. The painted wood body is dressed in a green fabric army uniform and red scarf and is bound to a wooden chair with straw seat with a multi-coloured belt that ties a metal sword around his waist. The head with metal hat (part b) is on a metal post that sticks into the neck and is removable. Other offerings include a metal necklace (c), two paper money bills (parts d, g), a colourful clay incense burner (e), and a glass bottle of liquid (part f).

Cantonese opera gong beater. Small wooden beater is long and rectangular, tapering at the bottom with a blunt tip. A hole is bored at the top of the beater and has a metallic gold elasticized string through it. Three similar Chinese characters are written on the upper half of each side of beater, one side in black marker, the other in blue ink. The wood is very lightweight.

Cantonese opera tiger costume, to be worn with mask, 2967/52. Costume is a cotton jumpsuit, open at the front to the waist with gold-toned metal button closure. Legs are wide, and the crotch is dropped with a hole in the back possibly for attaching a tail. Patterns have been stenciled onto the hemp: regularly spaced groups of three wavy lines, concentric wavy circles, and down the spine a series of circles with radiating rays. Uneven lines decorate the cuffs at wrists and ankles.

Cantonese opera tiger mask, to be worn with costume 2967/53. Mask has a bamboo under-structure, covered with coarse burlap and topped by yellow hemp. The mask covers the wearer’s face and head and has a long flap down the back to cover the neck. Several long strings connect the neck flap to the mask, as well as it being sewn on at the rear base of the mask. The face has an open mouth painted red, a small red nose, and holes for eyes with a large green wooden bead attached with wire. Small ears are sewn to the head behind the eyes. Stamped onto the fabric on the back of the head and the neck cover are a series of circles with radiating rays. The face is emphasized with eyebrows, whiskers, and stripes.