Asmat artists first used their imagination to carve images of the spirits of people who had died. They believe that their carvings always contain or are filled with the spirits and characteristics of the people they depict. The facial features and shapes of these sculptures reflect the typical style of artists from a village, even the typical styles of individual artists within that village.

With the passage of time and cultural changes in society, artists began to create carvings depicting scenes of daily life experienced by society. They also created images depicting important figures from the past who were respected by society.

Today's Asmat sculptures consist of five different types, including traditional ancestor sculptures, ancestor sculptures, busts, openwork carvings, and panels, all of which reflect developments in their artistic expression.