This year’s auction features a variety of wonderful pieces, and we’re happy to share a preview of some of them here. This selection shows art that will be featured in the live and silent auctions. Check back in a few weeks for a full catalogue!
Fanti Fertility Dolls, 9 ½” tall
To ensure that any child conceived will be beautiful, women usually carry fertility dolls in their skirt waistbands. This pair of Fanti-style carved dolls are simple in their overall form. They have the typical flattened head and carry keys, reminding us that children are the key to our future.
Nigerian Beaded Food Basket, 15 ½” x 9”
This beautifully beaded, lidded container — a lovely composition of color and classic motifs —was used to store food. It was made in Nigeria, likely by the Yoruba people of the south.
Bambara Sculpture, 44” high
This intricately composed sculpture of multiple figures with hammered metal overlay is a wonderful example of the art of the Bambara people, who reside in Mali and Burkina Faso. There is tremendous diversity in their artwork. Without doubt, this creativity reflects the Bambara belief that each person’s special creative traits exist to please the higher spirits. This particular piece comes from Burkina Faso.
Baule Double Bird Mask, 9 ½” high, 6” wide
With the necks of two birds emerging from the top of the human head, this mask implies the mutual transformation of their two spirits. Birds are sometimes thought to signify the dangerous nocturnal powers of sorcerers. The scarification pattern on the human face of the mask matches that on the neck of one of the birds, while the other bird’s neck is carved with rings, which relates to feminine beauty. The extensions beyond the mask form reveal the location where raffia or other adornment was once attached; the wear pattern implies that this mask was used in ceremonial performances.
Clay Ewe Protector, 9” tall
In contrast to his diminutive size, this charming figure has the large responsibility of protecting the home. Made by a member of the Ewe tribe who reside in the regions of southern Togo and Ghana, these figures would represent the household’s protective spirit and likely be kept in the family shrine.
Kru Large Mask, 31” high
This riveting “many-eyed” war mask is believed to ward off the evil eye. Picasso’s inspiration for cubist work and his contribution to abstract art came from African sculptures and masks, including the two Kru masks he owned. His translation of African images changed the direction of western art.
Red Baule Mask with Swirls, 16” x 10”
This colorful totem mask, carved in the Baule style for sale to tourists, is an amalgam of motifs. Many peoples believe that everything in nature possess a spirit. Historically, humans have found authority for themselves and their family through totemism. Using mythology to trace their ancestry back to a non-human spirit, they would then take the animal and its attributes as emblems for themselves and their clan.
Quilt, 6ft x 8ft
This unique quilt is handmade by Comfort, who has her own shop at the arts center in Kumasi. She employs the Western quilting methods she learned from a Swedish quilter with African fabrics. On this quilt, she uses patterned and solid fabrics to create a lively version of the log cabin motif. The result is a unique and functional bit of household art.
Tortoise and Bird, 16” x 9” x 5 ½”
Modern carved and painted sculpture that uses the tortoise and the bird, both of which have a long history in mythologies of people around the world. In some African fairy tales the tortoise is thought to be clever, a trickster who is often imbued with magical powers to ward off evil. The prominence of birds in art reflects their importance in both mythologies and ritual performances.