The Path of Power February 20–May­ 15, 2016 The University of Iowa Museum of Art This guide is published in conjunction with “Social (In)Justice,” curated by Dale Fisher, Curator of Education. The exhibition is on view in the Black Box Theater at the Iowa Memorial Union, from February 20 through May 15, 2016. Funding for the exhibition was provided in part by Deborah & Rod Zeitler and the UIMA Members Special Exhibition Fund. As part of the main exhibition, “The Path of Power” was curated by Cory Gundlach, Associate Curtator of African and Non-Western Art. Photography for the exhibition was provided by Steve Erickson.

El Anatsui (Ghanaian, b. 1944– ) Transit, 2002 Wood, pigment 10.16 x 60.96 cm (4 x 24 in.) Purchased with funds from the Stanley-UI Foundation Support Organization, 2002.106a–o

The Path of Power explores social justice in Africa through objects that support the expression of authority, status, and archetype. Upholding these aspects of identity commonly relies upon the creative display of privilege and exclusion, which are central to the politics of equality. These objects were created for spirits, elites, initiates, colonists, and art collectors. Regardless of sacred or secular context, settings that surround each object emphasize social mobility as integral to artistic function. In this sense, these examples of both create and become the path that leads to a change or preservation of identity. The visionary quality and exceptional skill with which these objects were made demonstrates the power of artistic imagination to shape and define identity and status in Africa. Through exhibition programs, hands-on learning activities, and art historical research, the UIMA collection of African art continues to raise the educational status for hundreds of people every year.

Cover: Nigeria; Yoruba peoples Edan (pair of figures for Ogboni society) Bronze 11 5/8 x 10 5/8 x 2 in. (29.53 x 26.99 x 5.08 cm) The Stanley Collection, X1986.502

1 Sovereignty, Law, and Authority African art for political and/or spiritual leaders involves social justice on a wide scale. Rulers, priests, and powerful spirits have the privilege to define it for an entire kingdom or community. Sacred and secular powers are commonly divided in the West. Leadership arts in Africa, however, regularly combine them in order to legitimize a divine control of the profane and to justify a hierarchy of religious and political power.

Royal Power Royal arts are central to the legitimization and public support of hierarchy. In Africa, as elsewhere in the world, kings, queens, and other elites rely heavily upon creative expressions of social and political inequality in order to control power and authority. All objects in this section of the exhibit are intended for public spectacle, which commonly take shape through inauguration, courtly procession, and other ceremonies visually saturated with elaborate regalia. Such power is equally manifest through the monumental scale and elaborate construction of a palace, commonly decorated with images of military might.

Nigeria (Benin Kingdom); Edo peoples Plaque 16th–17th century Bronze 29.21 x 24.77 x 1.91 cm (11 1/2 x 9 3/4 x 3/4 in.) Purchased with funds from Mary Jo and Richard H. Stanley, 2001.27

This brass relief plaque from the Benin Kingdom depicts a court official wielding an eben (ceremonial sword) in the right hand. The left hand appears above a leopard hip- pendant. Along with the spiral- relief elephant tusk behind the figure’s right shoulder, this object demonstrates the way in which powerful animals appear in royal art to signify the political strength of the king. A beaded fire-coral sash, ivory or copper bracelets, and leopard tooth necklace also demonstrate how the public display of rare and expensive materials evoke wealth and elite status. In order to make plaques such as this during the 16th and 17th centuries, Benin obtained brass from the Portuguese in exchange for pepper, ivory, beads, cloth, and slaves.

2 Democratic Republic of the Congo; Luba peoples Burkina Faso; Mossi peoples Mikisi mihake (female figure) Female figure Wood Wood 34.93 x 8.89 x 9.84 cm (13 3/4 x 3 1/2 x 3 7/8 in.) 57.15 x 16.51 x 11.43 cm (22 1/2 x 6 1/2 x 4 1/2 in.) The Stanley Collection, X1986.298 The Stanley Collection, X1986.385

As a nskishi (power object), the hole in the top The Mossi chief’s figure and mask (1979.43) of the head of this figure was meant to receive refer directly to a pre-colonial separation of medicinal substances that enhanced its ability to rights between farmers that had settled present- heal and affect political change. The gesture of a day Burkina Faso prior to 1500, and a ruling class woman holding her breasts is common in Luba that arrived soon thereafter on horseback. Mossi sculpture, and directly refers to a link between masquerades legitimize settlement claims by the power of women and Luba kingship. Luba reenacting ancestral encounters with benevolent women safeguard the secrets of kingship and spirits, and at the same time, Mossi royalty royal regalia such as thrones and staffs. They also legitimizes sovereignty through the public display typically form the central imagery within such of figures that are exclusive to the nakomse, or objects. Although Luba men serve as kings, the ruling class. office of Luba kingship is female in gender. During moments of political transition, women serve as a sacred vessel for the spirit of a recently deceased king. Scarification patterns on the abdomen enhance the ability of women to serve in this capacity and represent Luba notions of ideal feminine beauty.

3 Cameroon; Kom peoples Democratic Republic of the Congo; Kuba peoples Mask Ndop (portrait of a king) Wood, copper, brass Wood 39.69 x 32.07 x 15.88 cm (15 5/8 x 12 5/8 x 6 1/4 in.) 34.29 x 12.7 x 11.43 cm (13 1/2 x 5 x 4 1/2 in.) The Stanley Collection, X1990.601 The Stanley Collection, X1990.694

Kom masks such as this, covered with a thin This figure represents a nyim (Kuba king) whose sheet of copper and imported tacks, refer to identity is linked not to physical likeness, but a rank and are typically exclusive to members of personal emblem placed before the seated ruler. the royal who perform them to commemorate In this example, it represents a game board that the royal power of the Fon (king). Worn face- is exclusive to the representation of Shamba up on top of the head, a thinly woven sleeve Bolongongo, who reigned from 1600 to 1620. covers the lower half of the performer’s head The raised platform, wide belt decorated with and a large tunic covers the upper half of the cowry shells, shoulder rings, sword, and shody body. The raised headdress represents a prestige (elite headdress) mark his royal status. As a cap, the variations of which there are many in the vessel for the spirit of the king, ndop were also Grasslands region of Cameroon. placed beside his wives during childbirth to ensure safe delivery.

4 Spiritual Power Spiritually empowered African art objects commonly appear during transitional periods, such as initiation, funerals, and changes in authority. Nkisi, boli, and Kono masks are particularly important for settling legal disputes and formalizing agreements. Spirits involved may be ancestral in origin, linked to abstract powers of the natural or supernatural world, or all of the above.

Burkina Faso; Mossi peoples Nigeria; Yoruba peoples Crest mask Edan (pair of figures for Ogboni society) Wood, , pigment Bronze 215.9 x 73.66 cm (85 x 29 in.) 11 5/8 x 10 5/8 x 2 in. (29.53 x 26.99 x 5.08 cm) The Stanley Collection, 1979.43 The Stanley Collection, X1986.502

The Mossi chief’s figure (1979.43) and mask and Prior to the British colonization of Nigeria, male refer directly to a pre-colonial separation of and female members of the Ogboni society rights between farmers that had settled present- held great power in Yoruba society. Ogboni day Burkina Faso prior to 1500, and a ruling class functioned as a court of law, a counterweight to that arrived soon thereafter on horseback. Mossi royal authority, and provided administration for masquerades legitimize settlement claims by capital punishment. Ogboni members maintain reenacting ancestral encounters with benevolent great prestige today and continue wear edan spirits, and at the same time, Mossi royalty around the neck in public as an emblem of office. legitimizes sovereignty through the public display The chained male and female pair simultaneously of figures that are exclusive to the nakomse, or evokes a union between members of the ruling class. opposite sex, and a gendered reference to the Earth (female) and Heavens (male) in Yoruba cosmogony.

5 Democratic Republic of the Congo; Ding peoples Democratic Republic of the Congo; Kongo peoples Ngongo munene (chief of the earth) Nkisi nkondi (power figure) Copper Wood, iron nails, glass, resin 30.48 x 21.27 x 7.3 cm (12 x 8 3/8 x 2 7/8 in.) 51.44 x 27.94 x 20.32 cm (20 1/4 x 11 x 8 in.) The Stanley Collection, X1990.652 The Stanley Collection, X1986.573

This copper mask is an important agent of Throughout the Lower Congo and Kwangu-Kwilu order and social control among Ding peoples. River regions of Central Africa, minkisi/minkishi Associated with the sun, men wear it during (power objects) are central to communication ceremonial offerings to ancestors and the with the spirit world as an important source of installation of a chief. The latter wears it for justice and well being. Figural examples such as the initiation of young boys, and it may also this commonly include an abdominal cavity to temporarily appear beside the corpse of an elite hold medicinal substances prepared by a diviner. as a sign of respect. Kongo diviners embed nails, blades, pins, and other metal objects into the surface of a nkisi nkondi to seal an oath or bind an agreement with a client that is benevolent or harmful in nature.

6 Mali; Bamana peoples Boli (altar) Wood, clay, organic materials 46.99 x 27.94 x 63.5 cm (18 1/2 x 11 x 25 in.) Purchased with funds from the Friends of the Museum of Art Foundation, 2008.26

Created by a hereditary caste of male blacksmiths, boliw (boli sing.) commonly take the form of a Mali; Bamana peoples ball, human figure, or cow. It is composed of a Kono mask complex mixture of materials empowered with Wood, encrusted patina nyama, a dangerous life force that inhabits the 88.9 x 30.48 x 20.32 cm (35 x 12 x 8 in.) Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Gaston de Havenon, 1969.485 Bamana world. As a model of the universe, religious associations such as Kono use boliw to Among Bamana peoples of Mali, those with the enforce law and settle conflict in Bamana society. greatest juridical authority prior to and during the early period of colonial rule were men who belong to Kono. This power association, however, develops through interaction with a female spirit. Members use large masks that combine the form of an elephant and bird, and boliw, which take on a variety of forms. Through repeated sacrificial offerings of animal blood, alcoholic liquids, millet porridge, and saliva, the owner appeases the inhabiting spirit.

Mali; Bamana peoples Bogolanfini (mud-dyed cloth) Cotton, pigment 88.9 x 152.4 cm (35 x 60 in.) Purchased with funds from Robert F. and Delores DeWilde Bina, 2000.18

Among Bamana peoples, bogolanfini garments

7 protect men and women from harmful spirits in moments of high vulnerability. Wraps such as this are created to protect women following childbirth and excision. The central and right areas of the cloth feature the dan tigi motif, which refers to protective crocodile spirits. UNICEF reports that excision, or female genital mutilation (FGM), affects more than 125 million women in Africa. Social acceptance is the main contributing factor for excision, and a central reason for African women’s initiation.

Cameroon and Gabon; Fang peoples Eyima Bieri (reliquary guardian figure) Wood 42.55 x 11.43 x 11.43 cm (16 3/4 x 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 in.) The Stanley Collection, X1986.540

From the mid-eighteenth through the nineteenth century, Fang peoples migrated from what are now Chad and the Central African Republic to Equatorial Guinea, northern Gabon, and southwest Cameroon. During this time, graves shifted into portable reliquaries guarded by a bieri in the form of a carved wooden head or Democratic Republic of the Congo; Tabwa peoples Mipasi (ancestor figure) anthropoid figure—an artistic tradition that Wood lasted until the early twentieth century. Fang men 29.21 x 6.35 x 8.26 cm (11 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 3 1/4 in.) presented ancestral skulls within the reliquaries The Stanley Collection, X1990.704 to boys during initiation, when they received an A Tabwa chief’s collection of ancestor figures such adult name and information regarding taboos. as this confirms his genealogical link to previous rulers. Sculpted by religious specialists and placed upon a shrine, care of the object corresponds to the cycle of the moon, whose significance in Tabwa social and political thought is further indicated by geometric motifs in the lower back side of the elaborate hairstyle.

8 Colonial Power Many art objects from Africa demonstrate a response to European colonial power. Some demonstrate resistance, such as Kongo figures called mangaaka recently exhibited at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a specific type of nkisi nkondi (X1986.573), the imposing scale and aggressive stance strongly suggests a sovereign form of power and defiance. Such “traditional” images of African power, however, should not be broadly categorized as forms of colonial resistance. While the Mossi chief’s figure (X1986.385) provides justification for rule in West Africa, the same type and style of figure appeared in the French popular press beside the Mossi Emperor and a fonctionnaire in 1935, suggesting colonial alliance that was in fact highly coercive in nature.1

African objects that appropriate European forms and motifs provide subtler responses to colonial encounter. Artistic borrowing is neither simply Sikire Kambire (1896–1963) an affirmation nor a critique of the source, and Burkina Faso; Lobi peoples Janus head staff depending on audience and context, objects Wood such as the Youruba chief’s headdress may serve 66.04 x 17.78 x 5.72 cm (26 x 7 x 2 1/4 in.) conflicting audiences simultaneously. Even among From the Collection of Al and Margaret Coudron, objects created directly for export, African 1996.187 artists find creative ways to maintain agency In 1931, French colonial ethnographer Henri through parody. In the Solongo ivory object Labouret was the first to publish Lobi art made (X1990.647), for example, art history professor for export.2 The masks he published were Christopher D. Roy, notes that there “seems to created by Sikire Kambire, the same artist that bear the perplexed expression of someone who made this Janus head staff. While Lobi male has been forced to deal with the Belgian colonial elders use such staffs as status symbols, the Janus administration” (Roy 1992:217). motif refers to the power to simultaneously communicate with the realm of the living and the Contemporary African artists such as El Anatsui dead. Kambire made staffs, figures, stools, masks, and William Kentridge, among many others, and other objects for colonists and tourists until continue to make work that addresses African his death, and several Lobi sculptors continue colonial history and its complex legacies today. to work in a similar style (called “Bonko”) for personal shrines and the market today.

1. [Anon.], “Un Nouveau Casablanca: Abidjan et la Côte d’Ivoire,” L’Illustration, 2 March 1935, 255. 2. Henri Labouret, Les Tribus du Rameau Lobi (Paris: Travaux et Mémoires de l’Institut d’ethnologie, 1931).

9 strip-woven structure of kente and by association, the artist’s Ghanaian identity. However, the artist plays down such connotations for his current large-scale metal cloths. In wooden panels such as this, charred slashes, gouges, and splintered edges deliberately evoke violent forces of colonial mapping and turbulent histories of nationalism in Africa. A vibrant palette, however, tempers the bleak nature of these associations.

William Kentridge (South African, b. 1955– ) The General, 1993–1998 Drypoint with hand-coloring on handmade paper Mali; Bamana peoples 120.02 x 80.01 cm (47 1/4 x 31 1/2 in.) Bogolan (mud-dyed cloth) Museum purchase with funds from Shawn Zeitz and Cotton, pigment Emily Gatsby, and the Print and Drawing Study Club, Width 121.920cm (48 in.) 2001.4 African Art Purchase Fund Stanley–UI, 2000.19

South African artist William Kentridge depicts a A Bamana artist from Mali uses bogolan to address highly decorated military officer with frenzied a new world order, where peace is synonymous lines, an acrid palette, and a piercing gaze that with an education in global geography, European evokes the anxiety of Africa’s colonial past. history, math, and French language skills. During WWI, the monocle and standing collar According to the banner centered on the African was common in Germany, which had just continent at the upper right of the , peace massacred 75,000 peoples in Namibia from 1904 on earth is for people (or perhaps just men) of to 1908. “good will,” rather than everyone.

El Anatsui (Ghanaian, b. 1944– ) Transit, 2002 Wood, pigment 10.16 x 60.96 cm (4 x 24 in.) Purchased with funds from the Stanley-UI Foundation Support Organization, 2002.106a–o

(Illustrated on page one.) Titles for and designs in many of El Anatsui’s artworks suggest the

10 Nigeria; Yoruba peoples Democratic Republic of the Congo; Solongo and Chief’s headdress neighboring peoples Beads, fiber Export ivories 38.1 x 23.5 x 23.5 cm (15 x 9 1/4 x 9 1/4 in.) Dimensions variable General Education Fund, 2009.3 The Stanley Collection, X1990.692, X1990.647, X1990.691, and X1990.702 Nigeria was a British colony from 1914 to 1960, and this Yoruba chief’s headdress appropriates One of the most important ways for Africans the secular form of a British magistrate’s wig. to demonstrate “good will” during the colonial The small cone on top recalls the hairstyle of era was to support the export economy. From a Yoruba priest and the form of a royal crown, the sixteenth to the early nineteenth centuries, however, and so refers to the sacred authority the European demand for ivory took advantage of an Oba (Yoruba king). Red also signifies of slavery as the cheapest way to obtain the Shango, the Yoruba god of thunder and imperial material from the African interior. Trade in ivory expansion, which suggests subversive resistance flourished from 1830 to 1900 along the coastal to colonial power. region of Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola, where artists commonly used it to represent missionaries, colonial bureaucrats, and slavery itself. While a dramatic increase in the production of these secular objects appeared alongside the mass destruction of “fetishes,” or sacred objects, nkisi remained a significant form of resistance to colonial power in Central Africa during the early twentieth century.

11 Status, Rank, and Prestige Among politically non-centralized societies in Africa, art provides an important means of social control. The exclusive display of an object signifies power, status, the possession of secret knowledge, and law. Initiation offers restricted access to objects and membership in prestigious grade-level societies and religious associations. Many shrine objects from the Lower Niger Delta focus upon the individual means of achieving success in life. Spirits in sacred objects require control through repeated physical interaction, which commonly results in encrustation or a smooth, glossy patina.

Initiation In Africa, passage through key moments in life commonly involves initiation. Children, adolescents, adults, elders, and ancestors each belong to their own age group, and transition from one to another commonly requires education and interaction with spirits that oversee such moments of change. Among Lobi peoples, for example, one cannot join an adult conversation until initiation in joro, which provides a foundation for adulthood. Among many African peoples, public authority belongs to a council of elders whose status, rank, and prestige is marked not only by age and education, but the ownership and display of exclusive art objects.

Not illustrated: Democratic Republic of the Congo; Lega peoples Democratic Republic of the Congo; Lega peoples Mukuba/Kekumba (man’s Bwami hat) Lukwakongo (mask) Fiber, raffia, beads, wire, buttons, and elephant tail Ivory, kaolin, fiber 40.64 x 15.24 x 27.94 cm (16 x 6 x 11 in.) 19.37 x 12.07 x 3.49 cm (7 5/8 x 4 3/4 x 1 3/8 in.) Anonymous gift in honor of Betty Stanley, 1986.76 The Stanley Collection, X1986.571 Art among Lega peoples supports membership Democratic Republic of the Congo; Lega peoples within Bwami, a hierarchical initiation society Iginga (figure) Ivory for men and women. Iginga, or anthropoid ivory 12.54 x 5.08 x 2.54 cm (4 15/16 x 2 x 1 in.) objects, belong to kindi, the highest grade-level, The Stanley Collection, X1986.560 and wooden lukwakongo masks belong to yananio, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Lega peoples the second highest grade-level. While Bwami is Iginga (figure) open to all, women can only gain access through Ivory marriage and may never exceed the rank of a 10.48 x 4.13 x 2.86 cm (4 1/8 x 1 5/8 x 1 1/8 in.) The Stanley Collection, X1986.585 husband. Without such a wife, a man cannot join the highest Bwami grade-level, which includes the privilege of wearing a beaded/buttoned cap

12 with an elephant tail (see 1986.76). Participation in Bwami assures a sense of belonging and promotes virtues of ethical conduct, moral development, law, and peace. However, this social code takes shape through art and power divided unevenly by gender. Although Bwami is not overtly political in nature, colonial Belgium outlawed it in 1933 and the association did not resurface in public again until independence in 1960.

Nigeria; Igbo peoples Ikenga (personal altar) Wood, encrusted patina 41.91 x 10.16 x 10.16 cm (16 1/2 x 4 x 4 in.) The Stanley Collection, X1986.162

In contrast to African objects that mark status attained through social cooperation, examples from the lower Niger River stand out through their emphasis on psychic strength and individual achievement. Ikenga belong to men who use the altarpiece for personal gain, seeking status through Nigeria; Igala peoples individual determination rather than social or Ojibo (female figure) Wood, pigment institutional support. Ichi appear on the forehead, 50.8 x 16.51 x 16.51 cm (20 x 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 in.) and are associated with rank. The Stanley Collection, X1986.478

While the identity of the spirit associated with this figure is uncertain,ichi (scarification patterns) on the forehead and the crested hairstyle suggest elevated social rank. In southern Igala country, women collectively own ojibo, which are stored in the eldest woman’s house. During funerals, women dress them, decorate them with beads, and present them in public to celebrate the status of the deceased.

13 Commonly worn with a larger ensemble of beaded garments and jewelry, mapoto indicate status as a married woman. Fastened around the waist, the lower edge of the garment typically reaches beyond the knees, allowing additional beaded ornaments to be displayed around the ankles. A mapoto is typically square in format, and includes a beaded fringe flanked by two flaps at the base. Ndebele patterning, whether found in Democratic Republic of the Congo; Kuba peoples Cut- cloth beaded garments or on the painted surface of Raffia, dye domestic architecture, is characterized by a strong 71.12 x 31.75 cm (28 x 12 1/2 in.) symmetry and outlined rectilinear forms. The Stanley Collection, X1990.618

Cut-pile embroidered textiles entered the Kuba kingdom during the incorporation of Shoowa peoples in mid-seventeenth century. remains the material basis for royal architecture and ceremonial dress, and for expressing status, wealth, and personal states of transition. Kuba elites drape prestigious textiles such as this over the shoulder or upon a stool as a symbol of status, and men collect them as shrouds to celebrate high status during their funeral.

Cameroon; Bana Guili peoples Dibul Kouan (woman’s beaded apron) Beads, shells, fiber 21.59 x 59.06 cm (8 1/2 x 23 1/4 in.) Museum of Art African Collection Fund with support from J. Randolph Lewis, M.D. and Linda Lewis, 2003.23

Bana Guili women wear beaded pubic-coverings during initiation, wedding celebrations, and other important ceremonies. They are worn protect the owner from harmful spirits, and to display various stages of personal identity and social ties. When Cameroon gained political independence in 1961, the government banned the public display of women’s beaded aprons among all women in the country. Women continue to wear them however, in remote areas less subject to this post-colonial South Africa; Ndebele peoples intervention. After the 1980s, beaded aprons saw Mapoto (married woman’s apron) Glass, plastic, beads, leather, cloth a shift in design and scale. These recent examples 48.26 x 45.72 cm (19 x 18 in.) are larger, include representational motifs, and Museum purchase, 1998.66 patterns appear less improvised.

14 Cameroon; Bamileke peoples Mali; Bamana peoples Shüöto (man’s hat) Jonyeleni (female figure) Cotton, raffia Wood, fiber 17.8 x 15.2 x 15.2 cm (7 x 6 x 6 in.) 60.3 x 14 x 13.3 cm (23 3/4 x 5 1/2 x 5 1/4 in.) Anonymous gift in honor of Betty Stanley, 1986.86 The Stanley Collection, X1986.485

This Bamileke hat is made of looped and woven cotton and was likely worn by a man of high status. Like the other kingdoms of Cameroon, Bamileke was highly stratified, and so developed a rich tradition of clothing and other personal adornments that reflect the many positions held by the royal family, members of the court, and lesser officials.

15 Norms, Ideals, and Outcasts Through the dramatization of social norms, ideals, and outcasts in sacred (initiation) and secular (entertainment) contexts, masquerades contribute significantly to identity politics in Africa. They regularly animate standard concepts of gender, moral character, beauty, and (im)proper behavior. Relying upon audience participation in order to develop such archetypes, masquerades provide a highly creative and collective means of affecting social equality in Africa.

Idealism The dramatization of gender through masquerade or ceremonial display renders identity as performance. Though elaborately constructed, gender norms become codified and naturalized through art during key moments in life, such as initiation and funerals, and through entertainment for large audiences.

Among Dan peoples of Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia, the dark color and smooth patina in sensuously carved ladles signify the ideal woman as hostess, and the source of sustenance and indiscriminate hospitality (X1986.522). Following initiation, young Bamana men use jonyeleni figures (X1986.485) with ideal physical attributes, such as gleaming, scarified skin; large, conical breasts; and metal jewelry in order to demonstrate interest in finding an attractive partner and potential wife.

During okoroshi masquerades at Owerri, Nigeria, Igbo Spirit Maiden masks (2006.377) embody the light, graceful beauty of women. During dry season festivals and funerals of high-ranking individuals, mgbedike masks (1995.238) embody Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia; Dan peoples Wakemia (ladle) the spirit of male aggression. They also enforced Wood, metal social justice prior to British colonization. 64.77 x 17.78 x 11.43 cm (25 1/2 x 7 x 4 1/2 in.) Among Chokwe peoples of Angola, mwana The Stanley Collection, X1986.522 pwo (X1986.501) represents a young, beautiful, initiated woman ready to marry, while chihongo (X1990.598) represents wealth, nobility, and masculine power.

16 Nigeria; Igbo peoples Nigeria; Igbo peoples Mgbedike (mask) Agbogho mmuo (maiden spirit mask) Wood, metal, clay, shells Wood, pigment 78.74 x 27.94 x 30.48 cm (31 x 11 x 12 in.) 45.72 x 41.91 x 20.32 cm (18 x 16 1/2 x 8 in.) Gift of Dr. Meredith Saunders, 1995.238 John Harrison Estate Acquisition Fund, 2006.377

Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia; Chokwe peoples Zambia; Chokwe peoples Chihongo mask Pwo mask Wood, fiber, cotton, bark, raffia Wood, fiber 29.21 x 22.86 x 27.31 cm (11 1/2 x 9 x 10 3/4 in.) 35.56 x 33.02 x 30.48 cm (14 x 13 x 12 in.) The Stanley Collection, X1990.598 The Stanley Collection, X1986.501

17 Sierra Leone; Mende peoples Mali; Bamana peoples Gonde or sowei mask Korè mask, called sukuru (hyena) Wood, pigment, metal Wood 39.37 x 19.37 x 24.13 cm (15 1/2 x 7 5/8 x 9 1/2 in.) 45.72 x 20.96 x 24.13 cm (18 x 8 1/4 x 9 1/2 in.) The Stanley Collection, X1986.336 The Stanley Collection, X1986.210

This crested helmet mask from Sierra Leone was In addition to initiation for young Bamana boys, created for use in the Sande initiation society, select members of the Korè society perform which cultivates ideal beauty, moral perfection, masks such as this in order to promote standards and education for young women. At first glance, of social conduct. Through acts of ritual the object conforms to the sowei mask type, buffoonery, they mock those with great knowledge whose flawless, gleaming surface celebrates the and power, such as religious leaders, hunters, and model of feminine beauty among women after warriors. This mask represents the hyena, an initiation. Through closer inspection, however, a animal associated with wisdom, forgetfulness, and damaged surface suggests it may belong to the a voracious thirst for knowledge. gonde mask type, whose clown-like performance provides a foil for refined ideals cultivated among female initiates.

18 Suggested Reading Colleyn, Jean-Paul, ed. Bamana: The Art of Existence. New York: The Museum for African Art, [Anon.]. “Un Nouveau Casablanca: Abidjan et la Zürich: Museum Rietberg and Gent: Snoeck- Côte d’Ivoire.” L’Illustration, 2 March 1935, Ducaju & Zoon, 2001. 255-257. Cooksey, Susan. Sense, Style, Presence: African Arts Arnoldi, Mary Jo and Christine Mullen Kreamer. of Personal Adornment. Gainesville: Samuel P. Crowning Achievements: African Arts of Harn Museum of Art, 2004. Dressing the Head. Los Angeles: Fowler Museum at UCLA, 1995. Drewal, Henry John and John Pemberton. Yoruba: Nine Centuries of African Thought. New York: Bastin, Marie. “Une masque en cuivre martelé des The Center for African Art, 1989. Kongo du nord-est de l’Angola.” Africa- Tervuren 7, no. 2 (1961): 29-40, 60. Fischer, Eberhard and Hans Himmelheber. The Arts of the Dan in West Africa. Zürich: Rietberg Beibuyck, Daniel P. Lega: Ethics and Beauty in the Museum, 1984. Heart of Africa. Brussels: KBC Banking & Insurance / Snoeck-Ducaju & Zoon, 2002. Habraken, Kim. The Rising of a New Moon: A Century of Tabwa Art. Washington DC: National Binder, Lisa M., ed. El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to Museum of African Art, 1986. You about Africa. New York: Museum for African Art, 2010. Homberger, Lorenz, ed. Cameroon: Art and Kings. Zürich: Museum Rietberg, 2008. Binkley, David A. and Patricia Darish. Kuba. Milan: 5 Chokwe! Art and Initiation Among Continents Editions, 2009. Jordán, Manuel, ed. Chokwe and Related Peoples. Munich, London, and New York: Prestel, 1998. Boston, John. “Igala Masquerades and Figure Sculpture.” In Central Nigeria Unmasked: Arts Labouret, Henri. Les Tribus du Rameau Lobi. Paris: of the Benue River Valley, edited by Marla Travaux et Mémoires de l’Institut Berns, Richard Fardon, and Sidney Littlefield d’ethnologie, 1931. Kasfir, 165-181. Los Angeles: Fowler Museum at UCLA, 2011. Lagamma, Alisa. Kongo: Power and Majesty. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2015. Brett-Smith, Sarah C. The Silence of the Women: Bamana Mud Cloths. Milan: 5 Continents Lawal, Babatunde. Yoruba. Milan: 5 Continents Editions, 2014. Editions, 2012.

Ceyssens, Rik. “Material and Formal Aspects of Levy, Diane. “AmaNdebele : Some Copper Masks from the Upper Kasai.” In Historical and Social Aspects.” In Face the Spirits: Masks from the Zaire Basin, amaNdebele: Signals of Color from South edited by Frank Herreman and Constantijn Africa., organized by Wolfger Pöhlmann, 56- Petridis, 96-113. Ghent: Snoeck-Ducaju & 68. Tübingen, Germany: E. Wasmuth, 1991. Zoon, 1993. Martinez, Jessica Levin. “Ephemeral Fang Reliquaries: Cole, Herbert. Igbo. Milan: 5 Continents Editions, A Post-History.” African Arts 43 (Spring 2013. 2010): 28-43.

_____ and Chike C. Aniakor. Igbo Arts: Community and Meyer, Piet. Kunst und Religion der Lobi. Zürich: Cosmos. Los Angeles: Fowler Museum at UCLA, 1984. Museum Rietberg, 1981.

19 Moraga, Vanessa Drake. Weaving Abstraction: Rovine, Victoria L. Bogolan: Shaping Culture Through Kuba Textiles and the Woven Art of Central Cloth in Contemporary Mali. Washington DC: Africa. Washington DC: The Textile Museum, Smithsonian Institution Press, 2001. 2011. Sieber, Roy. Out of Africa: Sub-Saharan Traditional Arts. _____. “Their Own Fantastic Universe: Ceremonial Dayton: The Dayton Art Institute, 2000. Cache-Sexe of the Bana Guili Kirdi.” Hali 162 (Winter 2009): 74-76. University of Iowa Museum of Art. “Art & Life in Africa.” Accessed 18 December 2015. Pemberton III, John. African Beaded Art: Power and https://africa.uima.uiowa.edu. Adornment. Northampton, Massachusetts: Smith College Museum of Art, 2008. Van Haute-De Kimpe, Bernadette. “The Mbole and Their Lilwa Sculptures.” African Insight 15, no. Perrois, Louis. Fang. Milan: 5 Continents Editions, 4 (1985): 288-297. 2006. Vogel, Susan Mullin. El Anatsui: Art and Life. Munich, Phillips, Ruth B. Representing Woman: Sande London and New York: Prestel, 2012. Masquerades of the Mende of Sierra Leone. Los Angeles: Fowler Museum at UCLA, 1995.

Plankensteiner, Barbara. Benin. Milan: 5 Continents Editions, 2010.

Quarcoopome, Nii O., ed. Through African Eyes: The European in African Art, 1500 to Present. Detroit: Detroit Institute of Arts, 2009.

Roberts, Mary Nooter and Allen F. Roberts. Luba. Milan: 5 Continents Editions, 2007.

Roy, Christopher D. Mossi. Milan: 5 Continents Editions, 2015.

_____. Art and Life in Africa: Selections from the Stanley Collection, Exhibitions of 1985 and1992. Iowa City: University of Iowa Museum of Art, 1992.

_____. “Mossi Chiefs’ Figures.” African Arts 15, no. 4 (August 1982): 52-59+90-91.

Ross, Doran, H. Wrapped in Pride: Ghanaian Kente and African American Identity. Los Angeles: Fowler Museum at UCLA, 1998.

_____, ed. Elephant: The Animal and Its Ivory in African Culture. Los Angeles: Fowler Museum atUCLA, 1992.

20 Exhibition checklist Wood, fiber 60.3 x 14 x 13.3 cm (23 3/4 x 5 1/2 x 5 1/4 in.) 1. Democratic Republic of the Congo; Luba peoples The Stanley Collection, X1986.485 Mikisi mihake (female figure) Wood 11. Mali; Bamana peoples 34.93 x 8.89 x 9.84 cm (13 3/4 x 3 1/2 x 3 7/8 in.) Korè mask, called sukuru (hyena) The Stanley Collection, X1986.298 Wood 45.72 x 20.96 x 24.13 cm (18 x 8 1/4 x 9 1/2 in.) 2. Burkina Faso; Mossi peoples The Stanley Collection, X1986.210 Female figure Wood 12. Sierra Leone; Mende peoples 57.15 x 16.51 x 11.43 cm (22 1/2 x 6 1/2 x 4 1/2 in.) Gonde or sowei mask The Stanley Collection, X1986.385 Wood, pigment, metal 39.37 x 19.37 x 24.13 cm (15 1/2 x 7 5/8 x 9 1/2 in.) 3. Democratic Republic of the Congo; Kuba peoples The Stanley Collection, X1986.336 Ndop (portrait of a king) Wood 13. Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 34.29 x 12.7 x 11.43 cm (13 1/2 x 5 x 4 1/2 in.) and Zambia; Chokwe peoples The Stanley Collection, X1990.694 Chihongo mask Wood, fiber, cotton, bark, raffia 4, 5, 6, 7. Democratic Republic of the Congo; 29.21 x 22.86 x 27.31 cm (11 1/2 x 9 x 10 3/4 in.) Solongo and neighboring peoples The Stanley Collection, X1990.598 Export ivories Dimensions variable 14. Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, The Stanley Collection, X1990.702, X1990.647, and Zambia; Chokwe peoples X1990.691, and X1990.692 Pwo mask Wood, fiber 8. Sikire Kambire (1896–1963) 35.56 x 33.02 x 30.48 cm (14 x 13 x 12 in.) Burkina Faso; Lobi peoples The Stanley Collection, X1986.501 Janus head staff Wood 15. Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia; Dan peoples 66.04 x 17.78 x 5.72 cm (26 x 7 x 2 1/4 in.) Wakemia (ladle) From the Collection of Al and Margaret Wood, metal Coudron, 1996.187 64.77 x 17.78 x 11.43 cm (25 1/2 x 7 x 4 1/2 in.) The Stanley Collection, X1986.522 9. Nigeria (Benin Kingdom); Edo peoples Plaque 16. Cameroon and Gabon; Fang peoples 16th–17th century Eyima Bieri (reliquary guardian figure) Bronze Wood 29.21 x 24.77 x 1.91 cm (11 1/2 x 9 3/4 x 3/4 in.) 42.55 x 11.43 x 11.43 cm (16 3/4 x 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 in.) Purchased with funds from Mary Jo and Richard The Stanley Collection, X1986.540 H. Stanley, 2001.27 17. Cameroon; Kom peoples 10. Mali; Bamana peoples Mask Jonyeleni (female figure) Wood, copper, brass

21 39.69 x 32.07 x 15.88 cm (15 5/8 x 12 5/8 x 6 1/4 in.) 25. Democratic Republic of the Congo; Lega peoples The Stanley Collection, X1990.601 Iginga (figure) Ivory 18. Democratic Republic of the Congo; Ding peoples 10.48 x 4.13 x 2.86 cm (4 1/8 x 1 5/8 x 1 1/8 in.) Ngongo munene (chief of the earth) The Stanley Collection, X1986.585 Copper 30.48 x 21.27 x 7.3 cm (12 x 8 3/8 x 2 7/8 in.) 26. Democratic Republic of the Congo; Lega peoples The Stanley Collection, X1990.652 Iginga (figure) Ivory 19. Nigeria; Yoruba peoples 12.54 x 5.08 x 2.54 cm (4 15/16 x 2 x 1 in.) Edan (pair of figures for Ogboni society) The Stanley Collection, X1986.560 Bronze 11 5/8 x 10 5/8 x 2 in. (29.53 x 26.99 x 5.08 cm) 27. Nigeria; Igbo peoples The Stanley Collection, X1986.502 Ikenga (personal altar) Wood, encrusted patina 20. Democratic Republic of the Congo; Kongo peoples 41.91 x 10.16 x 10.16 cm (16 1/2 x 4 x 4 in.) Nkisi nkondi (power figure) The Stanley Collection, X1986.162 Wood, iron nails, glass, resin 51.44 x 27.94 x 20.32 cm (20 1/4 x 11 x 8 in.) 28. Nigeria; Yoruba peoples The Stanley Collection, X1986.573 Chief’s headdress Beads, fiber 21. Democratic Republic of the Congo; Tabwa peoples 38.1 x 23.5 x 23.5 cm (15 x 9 1/4 x 9 1/4 in.) Mipasi (ancestor figure) General Education Fund, 2009.3 Wood 29.21 x 6.35 x 8.26 cm (11 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 3 1/4 in.) 29. Democratic Republic of the Congo; Lega peoples The Stanley Collection, X1990.704 Mukuba/Kekumba (man’s Bwami hat) Fiber, raffia, beads, wire, buttons, and elephant tail 22. Democratic Republic of the Congo; Kuba peoples 40.64 x 15.24 x 27.94 cm (16 x 6 x 11 in.) Cut-pile cloth Anonymous gift in honor of Betty Stanley, Raffia, dye 1986.76 71.12 x 31.75 cm (28 x 12 1/2 in.) The Stanley Collection, X1990.618 30. Cameroon; Bamileke peoples Shüöto (man’s hat) 23. Nigeria; Igala peoples Cotton, raffia Ojibo (female figure) 17.8 x 15.2 x 15.2 cm (7 x 6 x 6 in.) Wood, pigment Anonymous gift in honor of Betty Stanley, 50.8 x 16.51 x 16.51 cm (20 x 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 in.) 1986.86 The Stanley Collection, X1986.478 31. Cameroon; Bana Guili peoples 24. Democratic Republic of the Congo; Lega peoples Dibul Kouan (woman’s beaded apron) Lukwakongo (mask) Beads, shells, fiber Ivory, kaolin, fiber 21.59 x 59.06 cm (8 1/2 x 23 1/4 in.) 19.37 x 12.07 x 3.49 cm (7 5/8 x 4 3/4 x 1 3/8 in.) Museum of Art African Collection Fund with The Stanley Collection, X1986.571 support from J. Randolph Lewis, M.D. and Linda Lewis, 2003.23

22 32. Mali; Bamana peoples Gift of Dr. Meredith Saunders, 1995.238 Bogolan (mud-dyed cloth) Cotton, pigment 39. Nigeria; Igbo peoples Width 121.920cm (48 in.) Agbogho mmuo (maiden spirit mask) African Art Purchase Fund Stanley–UI, 2000.19 Wood, pigment 45.72 x 41.91 x 20.32 cm (18 x 16 1/2 x 8 in.) 33. William Kentridge (South African, b. 1955– ) John Harrison Estate Acquisition Fund, 2006.377 The General, 1993–1998 Drypoint with hand-coloring on handmade paper 40. Mali; Bamana peoples 120.02 x 80.01 cm (47 1/4 x 31 1/2 in.) Boli (altar) Museum purchase with funds from Shawn Zeitz Wood, clay, organic materials and Emily Gatsby, and the Print and Drawing 46.99 x 27.94 x 63.5 cm (18 1/2 x 11 x 25 in.) Study Club, 2001.4 Purchased with funds from the Friends of the Museum of Art Foundation, 2008.26 34. El Anatsui (Ghanaian, b. 1944– ) Transit, 2002 41. Mali; Bamana peoples Wood, pigment Bogolanfini (mud-dyed cloth) 10.16 x 60.96 cm (4 x 24 in.) Cotton, pigment Purchased with funds from the Stanley-UI 88.9 x 152.4 cm (35 x 60 in.) Foundation Support Organization, Purchased with funds from Robert F. and 2002.106a–o Delores DeWilde Bina, 2000.18

35. South Africa; Ndebele peoples Mapoto (married woman’s apron) Glass, plastic, beads, leather, cloth 48.26 x 45.72 cm (19 x 18 in.) Museum purchase, 1998.66

36. Burkina Faso; Mossi peoples Crest mask Wood, fiber, pigment 215.9 x 73.66 cm (85 x 29 in.) The Stanley Collection, 1979.43

37. Mali; Bamana peoples Kono mask Wood, encrusted patina 88.9 x 30.48 x 20.32 cm (35 x 12 x 8 in.) Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Gaston de Havenon, 1969.485

38. Nigeria; Igbo peoples Mgbedike (mask) Wood, metal, clay, shells 78.74 x 27.94 x 30.48 cm (31 x 11 x 12 in.)

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