Chris Turri Steel Shaman Totem — Petroglyph Cut-Out

A floor-scale Shaman Series totem by Corrales, New Mexico sculptor Chris Turri, whose work is held in galleries along Canyon Road in Santa Fe and collected throughout the Southwest. Turri fabricates his totems from reclaimed and new steel, drawing his visual vocabulary from petroglyphs he has studied firsthand at rock art sites across the Four Corners region. This example is built on a tapering steel blade — wide at the shoulder, terminating in a ground spike — finished in a rich, intentional oxidized patina. The blade carries petroglyph-inspired imagery across its full length through a combination of incised line work and pierced cut-outs: bear paw, kokopelli, spiral sun, rain symbols, arrows, and scattered celestial marks form a continuous narrative from shoulder to point.

Turri's signature Spirit Mask crowns the assembly — a copper-framed mosaic disk with a gold-banded green surface and a small figural element on its face — suspended above the blade on a vertical rod through two decorative rings. Radiating from the disk is Turri's hallmark fan of industrial snap ties in black, orange, and blue, evoking a ceremonial sunburst headdress. Unmarked.

CONDITION

Good. The oxidized patina is intentional and consistent across the blade — a designed finish, not deterioration — with surface variation, light pitting, and tonal shifts inherent to the material and process. The mosaic disk shows no visible cracking or loss. No structural issues observed.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Height: 72½"
• Width: 9½"
• Depth: ¾"
• Weight: Approx. 6 lbs
• Primary Material: Steel (reclaimed/fabricated)
• Head: Copper-framed mosaic disk; mixed-metal snap-tie fan
• Decoration: Incised and pierced cut-out petroglyph imagery
• Finish: Oxidized patina by design
• Series: Shaman Series
• Maker: Chris Turri, Corrales, NM — Unmarked
• Bob Ross (6'2") Shown for Scale