Patung Pagar: Guardians Carved in Timber and Ceremony

Are you drawn to objects that feel different — rare, storied, and made with intention?

Patung Pagar sculptures from Kalimantan are exactly that.

Tall, hand-carved figures shaped from aged wood, rooted in ancestral tradition. Each one carries the presence of something once ceremonial, now sculptural — quietly dignified and steeped in meaning.

What is a Patung Pagar?

In the longhouses of the Dayak people of Borneo, these vertical sculptures were placed near entrances or rice barns to protect, to bless, and to connect.

Carved from ironwood or belian, these figures reflected the spirit of Kaharingan, the region’s ancient animist tradition. They were created during key life moments — from planting to harvest, from birth to death — always marking transition with purpose.

Each one speaks through posture, gaze, and gesture — a visual language understood across generations.

A Tradition That Lives Through Form

The Patung Pagar are steeped in ritual craftsmanship — not produced for trend, but shaped in response to belief.

As shared in Art of the Ancestors, these figures often honor family lineage, ancestral guidance, and the natural balance between human and spirit.
At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, similar works from Kalimantan are archived as cultural markers of identity — purposeful, precise, and expressive of sacred continuity.

Each Kirschon piece carries this legacy forward — carefully selected for proportion, balance, and emotional resonance.

How to Live With Them

These sculptures hold a kind of stillness that changes a room.

• Place one at the entryway, where it welcomes with quiet strength.

• Use them as a sculptural trio, creating visual rhythm in an open space.

• Let a single figure stand near a window, where light reveals its grain, its patience.

Their presence doesn’t need explanation. Their form already tells the story.

Why They Matter Now

In a time of fast things and fleeting design, Patung Pagar offer something lasting.

They hold space. They ground a home.
And they reflect a worldview where materials and spirit are deeply connected.

Each piece in our wood art collection invites this same energy into modern interiors — with grace, power, and authenticity.

Discover the Collection

If you have any questions about our collection contact us any time, we'd love to hear from you.

Ancestral form. Sculptural calm. Timeless intention.