The Washington Diplomat

Artistic Africa
Four Exhibits Show African Art From Spiritual to Toys Made From Trash
by Serena Lei

The National Geographic Society presents “Explore Africa” through four exhibits currently on display at the Explorers Hall museum. The first, “Giraffe of the Sahara,” is an 18-foot-high aluminum cast of a pair of giraffes originally carved on rock thousands of years ago. The cast is on display in the courtyard until Feb. 28.

“Artist as Explorer: African Art from the Walt Disney-Tishman Collection” is an impressive exhibit of masks, carved doors, grave markers, jewelry and other pieces of African art collected by Paul and Ruth Tishman and bought by Disney Enterprises. The exhibit was last displayed in 1981 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Most of the pieces in the collection are from the 19th and 20th centuries, but a few date back to the 15th and 16th centuries.

The exhibit is laid out by themes—nature and environment, life changes, power and prerogative, health and welfare, spirit realms and exploring wider worlds—that are further illustrated by African proverbs written on the walls. The lighting in the museum is purposefully dark and dramatic. A nice effect, but one that makes the details and documentation accompanying each piece hard to read.

As the exhibit notes explain, African art is often used to mark transition, particularly coming-of-age rituals, birth, death and marriage. Grave markers represent passage from this world to the next, rather than remembering this life alone. From Madagascar, a grave post figure with hollow eyes stands guard. Janus figures are a common theme, from the Kuyu people in the Congo to the Kota people in Gabon. One Janus reliquary figure invokes the past and future, connecting the living and the dead. Another figure has both a male and female side looking in opposite directions.

Headdresses and masks are often used in transition rituals and are worn by men and women. A young woman preparing for marriage wears a female cap mask by the Efut people of Nigeria. A headdress of the Bamum people is used to demonstrate spider divination. This giant mask, complete with horns, has eyes covered by a membrane taken from spider nests. Remarkably, some of the headdresses stand nearly six-feet tall, such as “Bird Figure” worn by Senufo dancers in Cote d’Ivoire.

Masks are also used in hunting rituals and in consultation of spirits for protection or healing.
I found “Twin Figure with Jacket” and “Figure of Christ” to be two of the most interesting pieces in the exhibit. The Yoruba people of Nigeria considered the birth of twins a sacred gift. If one twin died at a young age, a figure of the child, such as “Twin Figure with Jacket,” was created so that the twins could stay together for life. The figurine was even bathed and clothed like a real child. “Figure of Christ” is a 17th-century depiction of the crucifixion—a surprising image at the end of the exhibit. The piece demonstrates the influence of Western culture and religion in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“From Trash to Toys: Creations of African Children” is a collection of homemade toys including a truck made of discarded pesticide cans, dolls of wire and fabric, and miniature animals fashioned from banana fiber. One innovative child created a sailboat out of a rubber sandal, sticks and a plastic bag sail.

Finally, “Megatransect: Trek Across Africa” is an interactive display documenting Michael Fay’s 15-month journey across Africa. Fay’s extensive journals and photographs provide a detailed look into his expedition.

All of the exhibits are connected with a National Geographic Television series on PBS, called “Africa” and a book, with the same title, written by John Reader.

National Geographic Explorers Hall museum, at 1145 17th St. NW, is open Monday to Saturday , 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Artist as Explorer” is on display until Feb. 28, “From Trash to Toys” until mid-March, and “Megatransect” until March 24. For more information, please call (202) 857-7588 or visit www.nationalgeographic.com.

Serena Lei is an arts writer for The Washington Diplomat.