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#1835 From: "Andrew" <andrew@...>
Date: Sun Dec 17, 2006 12:52 am
Subject: Best locations for mask acquisition in Mali 		turley19at
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This is a rather selfish post, but in May 2007 I am travelling to Mali
for 3 weeks. And as usual, the opportunity to acquire masks rates high
on my agenda.

I have plenty of travel references but I am hoping that I can get some
advice frome someone that has been there and knows where the most
likely places are to find/purchase ritually used masks (I am not fussy
about the tribe as I only want to bring a couple back with me so it
will be those that are most appealing aesthetically and ritually – but
anything Senufo, and richly painted Bambara feature high on the wish list)

I imagine that Bamako and Mopti are probably the best as traders
probably congregate around the greatest tourist/commercial hubs.  But
has anyone heard anything about Sikasso close to the Senufo / Ivory
Coast border?

My route will start in Bamako and then is likely to be Segou & Mopti
(possibly via Sikasso in the south east), the Bandigara escarpment (of
course) and up to Timbuctu via the Niger.

Any help / advice / knowledge would be greatly appreciated. My contact
email is andrew@... if you would prefer to contact me
directly.

Regards

ANDREW TURLEY
www.suagacollection.com

Reply | Messages in this Topic (1)
#1836 From: "ari.b" <a312@...>
Date: Sun Dec 17, 2006 5:41 pm
Subject: Primitivism Revisited 		arib100
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If you in NYC [or live in the area]a must see  this very
Important exhibition...

: http://www.skny.com/lasso-bin/home.lasso


Reply | Messages in this Topic (2)
#1837 From: Lee Rubinstein <LeeRubinstein@...>
Date: Sun Dec 17, 2006 6:22 pm
Subject: Use of Cowrie Shells in African Art 		leerubinstein
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In response to Willy's inquiry some time ago, I had put together a quick selection of cowried objects for which I was able to find accessible images and thought perhaps some of you might be interested in viewing the images and/or visiting some of the sites linked.  This is by no means a compete, exhaustive survey nor does it provide deep analysis of the culture-specific meanings or history of the individual instances in which cowries are used.  Nevertheless, it does offer a glimpse and directions for further inquiry and discussion.

Among the most extraordinary and beautiful cowrie-inclusive objects are those of the Kuba in the Kasai region of Zaire.  The neighboring Lele also do exquisite embellishment of mask headdresses with cowries. Although these are just two sources where you can see some incredible relevant examples, I encourage you to look at the sites of the Peabody Museum at Harvard (http://www.peabody.harvard.edu/col/Search.cfm) and in the Smithsonian's Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives (http://sirismm.si.edu/siris/eepaculturegroup.htm) at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC:  


Necklace with cowrie shells; Peabody Number 998-18-50/12837

I'm not sure whether the image above has come through but it can be searched through the Peabody link above by searching for Kuba. (http://www.peabody.harvard.edu/col/default.cfm)  The catalogue number for this object is 998-18-50/12837.

You can search the Elisofon archives through the "eepa" link above.  Among the most beautiful and ornate uses of cowries by the Kuba in their royal regalia, see -- for example:    http://sirismm.si.edu/eepa/eep/eepa_02141.jpg
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Another wonderful example use of cowries that comes to mind are their use in wedding baskets generally attributed to the Yoruba but a Hausa/Kanuri informant has told me that these baskets are Hausa not Yoruba.  (Perhaps there is overlapping use...)  These images are from a commercial site but I have some of these baskets as well and can forward better images, if you decide that this type of object is something you wish to include.
These images came from the web-site of GORGEOUS textiles from Marla Mallett (www.marlamallett.com)

_______________________________________________________
Also from Nigeria, there are various Yoruba objects ehich are embellished with cowrie shells such as this:

Eshu Staff
Yoruba Culture, Nigeria/Republic of Benin, 1800s-1900s
Wood, cowrie shells, glass beads, string, cloth, seeds
15 3/8 inches high
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Purchase, The Arthur and Margaret Glasgow Fund, 88.43
Source:  http://www.vmfa.state.va.us/collections/88_43.html
________________________________________________________________________________________
Another instance of use that you may find particularly intriguing is a small number of rare Kongo nkisi figures which feature a HUGE cowrie shell in place of the more common glass or mirror that is usually placed in the abdomen.  There are a few examples; these two are from the Dallas Museum of Arts and the Detroit Institute of Arts:

Standing male figure (nkisi Mangaaka)
Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cabinda, Chiloango River Valley, Kongo peoples, Yombe group
Late 19th century
Wood, iron, raffia, kaolin pigment, red camwood powder (tukula), and cowrie shell
44 1/32 x 15 5/8 x 1 3/8 in. (111.8 x 39.7 x 3.5 cm)
Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of the McDermott Foundation, 1996.184.FA

All minkisi (power figures) in whatever form—wooden figures, snail shells, fiber bags, or clay pots—are containers for the magical substances, or “medicine,” that activate them. Carved figures usually have cranial and/or abdominal cavities into which the medicine is inserted. Nkisi Mangaaka have beards that also serve this purpose. The function of the nkisi Mangaaka was to assure that oaths sworn before it were honored.

When agreements or oaths were sworn in its presence, a nganga (ritual specialist) activated the spirit force contained in the figure by hammering a nail or blade into its body. As suggested by its aggressive posture, called vonganana (“to come on strong”), the figure stood ready to attack or defend, as required.

This nkisi Mangaaka is one of eight that originated in the workshop of an unknown Kongo master sculptor along the boundary between Portuguese Cabinda and the old Belgian Congo (now Democratic Republic of the Congo). Its unique style is distinguished by the treatment of the eyes, the modeling of the head and shoulders, a giant cowrie shell covering the abdominal cavity, and the placement of the feet on separate rectangular blocks instead of a common base.





Nail Figure (nkisi n'kondi)

ca. 1875-1900; Zaire, Yombe; Wood, screws, nails, blades, cowrie shell, other
materials; height 116.8 cm (46 in.) Eleanor Clay Ford Fund for African Art;
76.79

This Nail Figure served as doctor, judge, and priest. It was carved to capture the power of spirits (minkisi, singular nkisi) which was necessary for healing and adjudicating disputes. The figure was filled with powerful magical substances (bilongo) by priests (naganga) who tended it in a shrine and made its spirit powers available to individuals. The large cowrie shell beld strong medicines that gave the sculpture its power. This nkisi n'kondi would have originally worn a large beard and a straw skirt.

When an agreement was reached both sides would swear an oath before the nkisi n'kondi and drive iron blabes or nails into it to seal the oath. In this way the figure's supernatural powers could be called upon to punish those who broke their oaths.

_____________________________________________________

Also of interest may be the use of the cowrie in Dogon divination in Mali...

MAL0279-27:
A Dogon elder tells the future with Cowrie shells. Mali. West Africa.

© Bryan & Cherry Alexander Photography

Source:  http://www.arcticphoto.co.uk/gallery2/other/dogon/mal0279-27.htm

Lee



Reply | Messages in this Topic (1)
#1838 From: Lee Rubinstein <LeeRubinstein@...>
Date: Sun Dec 17, 2006 7:13 pm
Subject: Re: Primitivism Revisited, Moroccan Rugs, Lega, Comics (NY) 		leerubinstein
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Thanks, Ari.  The "Primitivism Revisited" exhibition looks extremely interesting.  

Also, just a reminder for any who decide to view the exhibition, there are a number of other African art exhibitions of interest that are also taking place on the West Side of Manhattan.  Through this Thursday, December 21, "Atlas Warp:  Talismanic Rugs of Moroccan Nomads" (http://www.axisgallery.com/exhibitions/atlas-warp/index.html) is still on view at Axis Gallery (just 10 blocks down and a block to the west from Sean Kelly Gallery).  

There are also many excellent archived exhibitions from Axis Gallery, a rare gallery in the US with an emphasis upon South and Southern African art -- traditional and contemporary.  Previous exhibitions  can be accessed on-line at http://www.axisgallery.com/exhibitions/archives/index.html .  An article which appears on the Axis site that I recommend particularly is "Illuminated Signs:  Style and Meaning in the Beadwork of Xhosa- and Zulu-speaking Peoples"  (http://www.axisgallery.com/african_art/illuminated-signs/intro.html) by Gary van Wyk.  

Heading uptown...
Also, continuing through January 14 -- is "Art of the Lega:  Meaning and Metaphor in Central Africa" at AXA Gallery (co-presented by the Museum for African Art):  http://www.axa-art.com/gallery/2006-08/index.html or http://www.africanart.org/html/exhibitions.html .

And continuing uptown... The Studio Museum of Harlem is presenting (through March 18) "Africa Comics" (http://www.studiomuseum.org/exhibitions_new.html) -- contemporary comic art from 20 African countries!

Lee

On Dec 17, 2006, at 12:41 PM, ari.b wrote:


If you in NYC [or live in the area]a must see  this very
Important exhibition...

: http://www.skny.com/lasso-bin/home.lasso


<home.url>


Reply | Messages in this Topic (2)
#1839 From: "ari.b" <a312@...>
Date: Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:54 pm
Subject: The Art of bargaining 		arib100
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Going to Africa,Buying from Africans- nice article :
 The Art of bargaining in Africa...
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mkbreen/senegal_2006/1166195040.html

Reply | Messages in this Topic (1)
#1840 From: "ari.b" <a312@...>
Date: Thu Dec 21, 2006 3:03 pm
Subject: Fw: Benenson Collection Reopen at Yale 		arib100
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----- Original Message -----
From: ari.b
To:
Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 10:47 AM
Subject: Benenson Collection Reopen at Yale

Restored Khan Gallery Reopens at Yale.
Press on the images-and you will see part of this magnificent collection....Yale2190_1
 
images
 
 

The Yale collection of art from Africa south of the Sahara had its beginnings with gifts of several textiles in 1937, and it now numbers some 1,000 objects in wood, metal, ivory, ceramic, and other materials. Major milestones in forming the collection occurred in 1954, with the acquisition of the Linton Collection of African Art, purchased for the Gallery by Mr. and Mrs. James M. Osborn, and in 2004, with the gift of the entire Charles B. Benenson collection of six hundred African objects. Concurrent with the 2004 gift, Mr. Benenson endowed the new position of the Frances and Benjamin Benenson Foundation Curator of African Art, and the Department of African Art at the Yale University Art Gallery was born.

The collection is strongest in ritual figures and masks from West and Central Africa. There are also several specialized collections, such as Christian crosses from Ethiopia and miniature masks from Liberia. Several ancient African civilizations are represented, including the Djenne, Nok, Koma, Sapi, and Benin. Some of the outstanding objects: from the Sahel area, a Bamana wooden equestrian figure; from the Upper Guinea Coast, a Senufo figurative rhythm pounder and a Temne bush cow mask; from the Lower Guinea Coast, an elaborate Ejagham skin-covered headdress and a Fante appliquéd banner; from Central Africa, a Luba female figure with bowl and a Fang female reliquary figure; and from southern Africa, an elegant Zulu stool.





Frederick John Lamp
Frederick John Lamp, the Frances and Benjamin Benenson Foundation Curator of African Art, holds a Ph.D. in art history from Yale (1982). From 1981 to 2003, he was a curator at The Baltimore Museum of Art and taught at Johns Hopkins University and Maryland Institute College of Art. He has conducted field research in Sierra Leone and Guinea. His publications include See the Music, Hear the Dance: Rethinking Africa at The Baltimore Museum of Art, Art of the Baga: A Drama of Cultural Reinvention, and numerous articles. Download curriculum vitae


Bassani, Ezio and William B. Fagg. Africa and the Renaissance: Art in Ivory. New York and Munich: The Center for African Art and Prestel-Verlag, 1988.

Ezra, Kate. African Ivories. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1984.

Goldwater, Robert. Senufo Sculpture from West Africa. New York: Museum for Primitive Art, 1964.

Lamp, Frederick John. Art of the Baga: A Drama of Cultural Reinvention. New York: The Museum for African Art, 1996.

Matheson, Susan, ed. Yale University Art Gallery Bulletin: African Art at Yale. New Haven: Yale University Art Gallery, 2005.

Rubin, William. "Primitivism" in 20th Century Art: Affinity of the Tribal and the Modern. New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 1984.

Thompson, Jerry L. and Susan Vogel. Closeup: Lessons in the Art of Seeing African Sculpture from an American Collection and the Horstmann Collection. New York: The Center for African Art, 1991.

Vogel, Susan. Africa Explores: 20th Century African Art. New York: Center for African Art, 1991.

Vogel, Susan. Baule: Africa Art Western Eye. New Haven: Yale University Art Gallery, 1997.

Walker, Roslyn A. African Women / African Art: An Exhibition of African Art Illustrating the Different Roles of Women in African Society . New York: The African-American Institute, 1976

Weber, Joanna, ed. Call and Response: Journeys in African Art . New Haven: Yale University Art Gallery, 2000.

Lamp, Frederick John. "Charles Benenson and His Legacy of African Art to Yale." Yale University Art Gallery


Reply | Messages in this Topic (1)
#1841 From: Rand African Art <rand@...>
Date: Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:26 pm
Subject: Happy Holidays! 		denverrand
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Just wanted to wish everyone a safe and happy Holiday Season!
 
Link to Holiday Card page:
 
It's the same card I've used for 3 years now, but I like it and the hat just doesn't look as good on anything else in my collection as it does the Moba tchitcheri figure.
 
I've added a few more things to the page this year though.
 
Cheers!
RAND

Reply | Messages in this Topic (1)
#1842 From: "Leif Holmstedt" <leif@...>
Date: Sun Dec 24, 2006 3:26 pm
Subject: Greetings 		regrib5
Send Email Send Email
 

 

 

I send you

my best wishes

for a merry

Christmas

and a happy

New Year 2007

 

 

Leif Birger Holmstedt  


Reply | Messages in this Topic (1)
#1843 From: "escultura78" <markuswurm@...>
Date: Wed Dec 27, 2006 10:51 am
Subject: Atye figures 		escultura78
Send Email Send Email
 

Hello everyone!

I consider to buy a Atie-figure but before purchasing I woud like to know the opinions of other collectors too. During the last months I read a lot about african art, but I still know less about Atie and related cultures. Is there someone who is familiar with this cultural group or has advices in general? I would appreciate every comment. The sitting female figure is 44cm high / the male figure 59cm high. You can see the photos in the album >markus< The direct link is: http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/African_Arts/photos/browse/d585?c= 

Thanks in advance

Markus


Reply | Messages in this Topic (4)
#1844 From: Lee Rubinstein <LeeRubinstein@...>
Date: Wed Dec 27, 2006 4:21 pm
Subject: Re: Atye figures 		leerubinstein
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Markus:

Monica Blackmun Visona published a brief exhibition preview article in African Arts at the end of 2005 citing the lack of conclusive knowledge regarding the figural sculpture of these Lagoon-region Akan groups such as the Attie and Ebrie (see http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-5478409/Redefining-twentieth-century-African-art.html) -- which echoes your observations and the paucity of information available to explicate the figures you are contemplating.  An element of the difficulty lies in the fact that there are roughly a dozen different "lagunaire" cultural/linguistic groups in this southeastern coastal Ivoirian area, including: 
Eastern:  Abure, Agwa, Eotile, Essuma, Gwa (M'bato)
Central:  Abe, Attie (Atie, Akye, Ankye), Krobu. 
Western:  Abidji, Adjukru (Adioukrou), Aizi (Ahizi), Aladyan (Alladian).

The persistence of forms associated with works from this region -- as well as the very early European influence upon figural representations -- can be seen in such examples as this pair of ivory finials from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, although -- as the commentary reveals -- the descriptive information provided is quite general.  


Pair of Staff Finials: Male and Female Seated Figures, 17th–18th century
Côte d'Ivoire, Lagoons peoples, Attie group
Ivory; H. male 5 7/8 in. (15 cm), H. female 7 1/16 in. (18 cm)
Collection Laura and James J. Ross
Description
In Lagoons societies, affluence, leadership, and spiritual power are interrelated. Ownership of remarkable artifacts in luxury materials implies favor from the spiritual ancestral realm. Within the Lagoons region, traditional Attie and Abure leaders were entitled to half the tusks obtained by elephant hunters. As a result, these influential individuals commissioned rare ivory artifacts such as these finely wrought finials for staffs of office displayed as emblems of status at public gatherings. This elegantly appointed male and female couple seated on elaborately carved thronelike chairs is part of a corpus of less than a dozen ivory miniatures created as staff finials by Attie carvers. The male subjects of such prestige imagery may represent their owners and ancestors. The European top hats and umbrellas that crown them were associated with commercial trade and are metaphors of status and wealth. The regal female consort bedecked with gold bead necklaces who shields her partner with a parasol may embody his ideal sexual partner, spirit spouse, or alter ego.

(Source:  http://www.metmuseum.org/special/Echoing_Images/2.r.htm

While somewhat distinctive in style, figures from the Lagoons region also display significant similarity to Baule figures in form and some details and display Akan -- as well as embedded European -- stylistic influences.  This is not surprising given the Akan origins of -- and influence upon -- both cultural complexes (Lagoons region  and Baule, that is).   Adding to the complexity of distinguishing specific cultural origin for works from this region is the fact that the large, nearby city of Abidjan  has been a major point of confluence of individuals from throughout Western Africa during the twentieth century.  Likely, a broader exploration of Akan artistic and cultural history coupled with a deeper inquiry into the artistic production from the more narrowly delimited Lagoons region would be necessary to reveal a clearer picture of the identity and significance of individual objects from the region.  The Arts of Ghana by Herbert M. Cole and Doran Ross may be one good source with which to begin.

Lee





On Dec 27, 2006, at 5:51 AM, escultura78 wrote:


Hello everyone!

I consider to buy a Atie-figure but before purchasing I woud like to know the opinions of other collectors too. During the last months I read a lot about african art, but I still know less about Atie and related cultures. Is there someone who is familiar with this cultural group or has advices in general? I would appreciate every comment. The sitting female figure is 44cm high / the male figure 59cm high. You can see the photos in the album >markus< The direct link is:http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/African_Arts/photos/browse/d585?c= 

Thanks in advance

Markus




Reply | Messages in this Topic (4)
#1845 From: Rand African Art <rand@...>
Date: Wed Dec 27, 2006 4:23 pm
Subject: Re: Atye figures 		denverrand
Send Email Send Email
 
Since these objects are ones that are currently being offered for sale, I will reply to you with my thoughts in private and
 
RAND

escultura78 <markuswurm@...> wrote:
Hello everyone!
I consider to buy a Atie-figure but before purchasing I woud like to know the opinions of other collectors too. During the last months I read a lot about african art, but I still know less about Atie and related cultures. Is there someone who is familiar with this cultural group or has advices in general? I would appreciate every comment. The sitting female figure is 44cm high / the male figure 59cm high. You can see the photos in the album >markus< The direct link is: http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/African_Arts/photos/browse/d585?c= 
Thanks in advance
Markus


Reply | Messages in this Topic (4)
#1846 From: "ari.b" <a312@...>
Date: Wed Dec 27, 2006 6:01 pm
Subject: The Fair scene 		arib100
Send Email Send Email
 
Nice article from the New Yorker about the art world and The Fair scene..
http://www.newyorker.com/critics/content/articles/criticsArt

.
Moderator - The article isn't specifically about African art but it does have some interesting insight

Reply | Messages in this Topic (4)
#1847 From: "escultura78" <markuswurm@...>
Date: Wed Dec 27, 2006 9:26 pm
Subject: Re: Atye figures 		escultura78
Send Email Send Email
  
Lee and Rand

Thank you for your quick replies. Lee, your essay of Monica Blackmun
looks very interesting. I only glanced over it - I am going to read
it tomorrow, today I am too tired...

Thanks again

Markus

--- In African_Arts@yahoogroups.com, Rand African Art <rand@...>
wrote:
>
> Since these objects are ones that are currently being offered for
sale, I will reply to you with my thoughts in private and
>
>   RAND
>
> escultura78 <markuswurm@...> wrote:
>             Hello everyone!
>   I consider to buy a Atie-figure but before purchasing I woud like
to know the opinions of other collectors too. During the last months
I read a lot about african art, but I still know less about Atie and
related cultures. Is there someone who is familiar with this cultural
group or has advices in general? I would appreciate every comment.
The sitting female figure is 44cm high / the male figure 59cm high.
You can see the photos in the album >markus< The direct link is:
http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/African_Arts/photos/browse/d585?c=
>   Thanks in advance
>   Markus
>

Reply | Messages in this Topic (4)
#1848 From: "ari.b" <a312@...>
Date: Wed Dec 27, 2006 10:10 pm
Subject: Fw: more info about Attie 		arib100
Send Email Send Email
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: ari.b
 
Sent: Thursday, December 28, 2006 12:09 AM
Subject: more info about Attie

More info about Attie from the site:
www.vub.ac.be

A number of small, segmented groups live along the Atlantic coast called the ‘Lagoon Peoples’ who share a common artistic legacy that is heavily influenced by Akan and Baule traditions.
They live south of their neighbours the Baule people.

Typical for their statues/figures are

  • the careful and refined execution of details, such as coiffure, face and scarifications;

  • the bulbous, muscular arms and legs, with a ryhthm of bulges and constrictions;

  • the hands shaped as cups and turned inwards, that connect the arms with the body;

  • the geometric hairdo with a series of buns that radiate around the head;

  • the nose in the form of an inverted T;

  • the small wooden protruding plugs/pegs in the body, that represent small button-like scarifications; such scarifications were considered both marks of beauty as well as signs of elite status.

Statues of similar form were put to varied uses.

Some photos of good examples are printed for instance in
Jacques Kerchache, Jean-Louis Paudrat, Lucien Stephan,
L'art et les grandes civililitations: L'art africain.
Paris : Editions Mazenod, 1988, 620 pp., p. 388.

"The eastern coast of the Côte d'Ivoire comprises the area of lagoons. The population here is divided into twelve different language groups with Akye being one of them. The Akye numbering 55,000 constitute a part of the Akan group of ethnicities. Before colonization each village was autonomous and, when threatened, they united to form a 'confederation'. Usually these people are not governed by chiefs, although a man's social position is determined by his age.
Early Akan economics revolved primarily around the trade of gold and enslaved peoples to Mande and Hausa traders within Africa and later to Europeans along the coast. This trade was dominated by the Asante who received firearms in return for their role as middlemen in the slave trade. These were used to increase their already dominant power. Local agriculture includes cocoa cultivation for export, while yams and taro serve as the main staples. Along the coast, fishing is very important. The depleted forests provide little opportunity for hunting. Extensive markets are run primarily by women who maintain considerable economic power, while men engage in fishing, hunting and clearing land. Both sexes participate in agricultural endeavors.
Royal membership among Akan is determined through connection to the land. Anyone who traces descendence from a founding member of a village or town may be considered royal. Each family is responsible for maintaining political and social order within its confines. In the past, there was a hierarchy of leadership that extended beyond the family, first to the village headman, then to a territorial chief, then to the paramount chief of each division within the Asante confederacy. The highest level of power is reserved for the Asanthene, who inherited his position along matrilineal lines. The Asantahene still plays an important role in Ghana today, symbolically linking the past with current Ghanaian politics.
Akan believe in a supreme god who takes on various names depending upon the particular region of worship. Akan mythology claims that at one time the god freely interacted with man, but that after being continually struck by the pestle of an old woman pounding fufu, he moved far up into the sky. There are no priests that serve him directly, and people believe that they may make direct contact with him. There are also numerous gods (abosom), who receive their power from the supreme god and are most often connected to the natural world. These include ocean and river spirits and various local deities. Priests serve individual spirits and act as mediators between the gods and mankind. Nearly everyone participates in daily prayer, which includes the pouring of libations as an offering to both the ancestors who are buried in the land and to the spirits who are everywhere. The earth is seen as a female deity and is directly connected to fertility and fecundity.
Woodcarving includes human statues, stools, which are recognized as "seats" of power, wooden dolls (akua’ba) that are associated with fertility, and also ivory and brass objects. Lost-wax casting processes were highly developed among the Akan – both gold and brass were caste. There are also extensive traditions of pottery and weaving throughout Akan territory. Kente cloth, woven on behalf of royalty, has come to symbolize African power throughout the world.
Standing and seated statues with bulbous arms and legs produced by the Akye show strong Baule influence, but they are very marked by their distinctive style. Often the hairdo is geometric. What is unusual is that the relief scarification marks are achieved by insertion of small wooden plugs into the carving. Representing the forces of female fecundity, these statues were used in rituals to make these forces work."
(source = http://www.zyama.com, cited 2005)

"The Attie are one of the Lagoons people and are southern neighbors of the Baule. Attie figures are, like those of the Baule, among the most elegant and designed pieces in Africa. Many show careful execution of face, coiffure and scarification details, with refined forms but no loss of expressiveness and power. The quiet, dignified figures embody spirits from the other world. They functioned as the home of a spirit to whom sacrifices were made and had to be placated with care. Figures were the abode of spirits associated with diviners. In ritual performances the spirit would come out to possess the diviner, causing a trance. The display of the figures would enhance and support the ensuing dance.
The distinctive style of the Attie includes more bulbous limbs, with a ryhthm of bulges and constrictions. The heads and eyes are large and scarification is often imitated by small wood pegs."
(source = www.hamillgallery.com, cited 2005))

 

Reply | Messages in this Topic (1)
#1849 From: "mfliegelmann" <mfliegelmann@...>
Date: Thu Dec 28, 2006 1:42 pm
Subject: Re: The Fair scene 		mfliegelmann
Send Email Send Email
  
--- In African_Arts@yahoogroups.com, "ari.b" <a312@...> wrote:
>
> Nice article from the New Yorker about the art world and The Fair
scene..Moderator - The article isn't specifically about African art
but it does have some interesting insight.
> http://www.newyorker.com/critics/content/articles/criticsArt
>
> .
>
This article is not only not about African Art but it is not even
about art. It is about all sorts of banalities and superficialities
and it is badly written. I resent having been made to waste the time
it took me to read about 80% and realizing that it was not going to
get any less frivolous,nor any more English. Margalit

Reply | Messages in this Topic (4)
#1850 From: Rand African Art <rand@...>
Date: Thu Dec 28, 2006 3:21 pm
Subject: Re: Re: The Fair scene 		denverrand
Send Email Send Email
 
Margalit
 
Yes, I questioned myself if the message was relevant to be posted to the group, but I did find some things of interest in it in regards to the “art” market in general (in my opinion)and decided to post it. I don’t make people read things that are posted here, they can choose to if they like. So, in the future I will be more careful in the postings to the group. I’ll put disclaimers that everyone might not find an article interesting or relevant and to read at their own risk, but there may be a few people who will like what an article has to say, or people who will find items of interest in an article and they can take something away from it.
 
The article was about “contemporary art”, which I find to be very fickle, very superficial and not very interesting in general. I think the article did a good job of elaborating these facts.
 
While many of these superficial and fickle things do go hand in hand with contemporary art, they also apply to Tribal art, or are starting to apply to Tribal art in general as it continues to gain popularity.
 
My main interest in the article was the mention of how fairs can be so vital, to the galleries and to the elite collectors, it's an area that I've been learning about and witnessing with interest for several years now. I also was interested in the trends, I think that Tribal art has gone through these trends as well throughout the years and is riding a high wave right now and it makes me wonder where it will go next. I won’t elaborate on these things I found of interest, or how I think they also relate to Tribal Art in the past, present and future. People will either get something out of this article, or find it useless like you did.
 
“The art world is so event-driven these days that if you don’t take part in the major fairs you almost don’t exist in the public mind.”
 
“Fairs are important for big galleries,” the gallerist Marian Goodman said to me. “For small galleries, they’re vital.” I asked many dealers how much of their annual income comes through fairs. Answers varied from ten per cent to “well over half,” spiking in the range of a third.”
 
“Another goad to fairism is the accelerating encroachment of auction houses on the contemporary market, competing with galleries for choice works and pacesetting sales.”
 
“Mutual intoxications of art and money come and go. I’ve witnessed two previous booms and their respective busts: the Pop nineteen-sixties, which collapsed in the long recession of the seventies, and the neo-expressionist eighties, whose prosperity plummeted, anvil fashion, in 1989.”

mfliegelmann <mfliegelmann@...> wrote:
--- In African_Arts@yahoogroups.com, "ari.b" <a312@...> wrote:
>
> Nice article from the New Yorker about the art world and The Fair
scene..Moderator - The article isn't specifically about African art
but it does have some interesting insight.
> http://www.newyorker.com/critics/content/articles/criticsArt
>
> .
>
This article is not only not about African Art but it is not even
about art. It is about all sorts of banalities and superficialities
and it is badly written. I resent having been made to waste the time
it took me to read about 80% and realizing that it was not going to
get any less frivolous,nor any more English. Margalit



Reply | Messages in this Topic (4)
#1851 From: "ari.b" <a312@...>
Date: Thu Dec 28, 2006 3:26 pm
Subject: Re: Re: The Fair scene 		arib100
Send Email Send Email
 
The New Yorker is one of the most prestigious magazins
In USA.
Mr.Peter Schjeldael is an outstanding art critic,
I remember  reading his excellent critics more then twenty
Years ago in the Legendary Magazine The Village Voice.
Yes i agree its not for everyone.
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, December 28, 2006 3:42 PM
Subject: [African_Arts] Re: The Fair scene

--- In African_Arts@yahoogroups.com, "ari.b" <a312@...> wrote:
>
> Nice article from the New Yorker about the art world and The Fair
scene..Moderator - The article isn't specifically about African art
but it does have some interesting insight.
> http://www.newyorker.com/critics/content/articles/criticsArt
>
> .
>
This article is not only not about African Art but it is not even
about art. It is about all sorts of banalities and superficialities
and it is badly written. I resent having been made to waste the time
it took me to read about 80% and realizing that it was not going to
get any less frivolous,nor any more English. Margalit


Reply | Messages in this Topic (4)
#1852 From: Rand African Art <rand@...>
Date: Thu Dec 28, 2006 4:34 pm
Subject: January and February events 		denverrand
Send Email Send Email
 
Two similar, but very different events are on the horizon that may be of interest to members of the group who live in the United States, and one unique event that takes place in Africa.
 
Tucson African Art Village - January 27 to February 11 2007 - Tucson, Arizona
Festival on the Niger - February 1st to the 4th 2007 - Segou, Mali
San Francisco Tribal and Textile Arts Show - Feb 9th to the 11th - San Francisco, CA
 
Tucson African Art Village - January 27 - February 11, 2007 - Tucson Arizona
There are quite a few people who probably don't know about this event, but it has been taking place I have been told for around 20 years now, it coincides with the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show every year.
 
It started out with a couple of African Traders/Dealers bringing objects to the Gem and Mineral Show to sell to interested people. Every year more and more Traders came to participate and it has grown to an organized event that brings in around 90+ African Traders/Dealers to one place, all at the same time.
 
I went for the first time in 2005, missed the event in 2006 but plan to go for at least 1 day in 2007 (probably on February 3rd). The show may not be for everyone, but if it sounds or looks at all interesting to you then I would recommend trying to attend it sometime. It's a unique opportunity to get to view hundreds, if not thousands of pieces of African art that ranges in a wide range of quality and styles, all in one place, and it gives you an opportunity to meet various African Traders from all around the US, Canada and Africa who come to participate. When I attended the show in 2005 is when I became interested/infatuated with African puppets.
 
The atmosphere at the event is also unique, it's an outdoor "village" set up with tents and when I walked into it for the first time I felt as if I was transported to a market place in Africa with all of the sounds, smell of the food and the friendly people.
 
The Gem and Mineral Show literally packs Tucson during this time and finding a hotel or rental car last minute can be next to impossible, many people book their hotel and rental cars many months in advance. I was going to drive to the event this year but will most likely end up flying in early in the morning and leaving town as late as I can on the same day. It will be interesting for me to attend the event in 2007 because I think I've learned a lot about African Art since I went to this event in 2005 and it will be good to put that to use and see what interests me this time.
 
More information - maps, hotel information and my experience in 2005:
 
Festival on the Niger - February 1st to 4th 2007 - Segou, Mali
The third annual Festival on the Niger will be held in Segou, MALI, on 1, 2, 3, and 4 February 2007. This cultural celebration will feature traditional music and contemporary musicians, arts and crafts expositions (textiles, pottery, sculpture, jewelry), traditional dance troupes and puppet troupes, pirogue races on the river, and more !
 
For more information, see the official website: http://www.festivalsegou.org/homepage.htm
 
I'd love to be able to go in 2007, but the timing isn't right so I am in the initial phases of planning a trip to Africa to attend this event in 2008! It will be my first trip to Africa and I'm excited to go to Mali to attend an event like this. One person has already expressed interest to travel with me, if this event sounds interesting to you, drop me a line.
 
San Francisco Tribal and Textile Arts Show - Feb 9th to the 11th - San Francisco, CA
It's a great show and a great place to see some high quality African and Oceanic art all in one place, as well as a good opportunity to get a chance to meet and interact with a lot of the high end dealers from around the world. I'm going to be in San Francisco for the show in 2007 for all 3 days this time, if you've never been it's a good experience and worth the trip. I met up with quite a few people last year, if you're going to be at the show this year I'd love to at least meet up and say hi, so drop me a line.
 
Michael Auliso did a good photographic review of the show last year:
 
Cheers!
RAND

Reply | Messages in this Topic (1)
#1853 From: Rand African Art <rand@...>
Date: Thu Dec 28, 2006 4:52 pm
Subject: Cycles - African Art Through Life 		denverrand
Send Email Send Email
 
I ran across this for the first time the other day on the website for the Indianapolis Museum of Art's and thought it was interesting and well done and thought I'd share it with others who may not have seen it.
 
Cycles - African Art Through Life
 
If you click on a figure in the "gallery" I would suggest clicking on "See in context" which will provide you with additional information and images.
 
*You may need the latest version of Adobe's Flash Player to view the content of the website
 
Cheers!
RAND

Reply | Messages in this Topic (1)
#1854 From: Rand African Art <rand@...>
Date: Fri Dec 29, 2006 9:25 pm
Subject: Re:Tellem headrests - online interactive exercise on my website 		denverrand
Send Email Send Email
 
I finally got the time to update my website with the comments and votes from people regarding the interactive exercise I did on my website with my Tellem headrests. The voting was open from December 12th to December 28th.
 
The purpose of this exercise was to show people how others look at the same type of object and see what other people's thoughts are.
 
I tried to add a little bit of text about the exercise and the headrests, it was almost 3am here when I finish this and my brain was done for the day, so I hope that it comes across ok and I hope that you enjoy seeing the results for this exercise for each headrest.
 
Click on the link below to go to the main page for links to each headrest:
 
 
Cheers!
RAND

Rand African Art <rand@...> wrote:
Hi group,
 
I'm currently doing an interactive sort of an exercise on my website with my Tellem headrests, sort of like I did with my Sukuma figure a while back. On each page for each headrest you'll get a chance to vote on their authenticity and make comments on them below the photos on the pages.
 
On December 20th I'll post the comments from the people that participated in this and I'll also add some commentary about the headrests then as well. I'll send a message to the group when the comments have been added.
 
I hope this will be an educational exercise for everyone.
 
Thanks in advance for your participation!
 
Link to the main page that contains links to the 2 headrests:
 
(On each page for each headrest you can click on any image to see a high resolution version which may be helpful in this exercise)
 
Cheers!
RAND


Reply | Messages in this Topic (5)
#1855 From: paolo paretti <paolo@...>
Date: Sat Dec 30, 2006 1:14 am
Subject: Re: Re:Tellem headrests - online interactive exercise on my website 		maremaria2001
Send Email Send Email
 


Some quotes from Jan Baptist Bedaux..and the limited view of someone, who isn´t
an expert for Tellem Objects.


"There is always a difference in colour at the bottom compared to the rest of 
the headrest. The bottom always looks lighter, which is understandable,
because it touches the ground."

Two monthes in the African sun...and you have 100 percent the effect, which 
Jan Baptist Bedaux is describing as typical for an original.

"But if they smell, you can almost be sure your headrest is a genuine one"

Many fakes have an incredible smell, because they were normally stored near
the kitchen, the African kitchen (!) where the smoke of the fire, is doing it´s work: 
drying the wood and creating certain forms of encrustrations and sometimes they 
piss on it, cursing the "white men, which are all bandits, because they don´t pay enough", 
and than you have this sweetish smell. Rand mentioned the strong smell of
his exemplares...this is not an indication of an original!

"For fakers, using very light wood, faking erosion is very
easy (probably with a sandblaster, or high-pressure spraying
pistol or whatsoever)"

I saw many Dogon/Tellem fakes made of very hard and heavy wood.
In Africa nobody ins using a sandblasters, or high-pressure-spaying to produce a fake.
The way, how they are make a piece looking old, is much more simple.
The weather and animals are doing this job. There are yards full of fakes and it takes 
some monthes or sometimes also years and the pieces have a patina, which is accepted 
by the market. If a headrest is standing on the ground for a certain time, you have also the 
effect of a different colored bottom.

"If you do find some crusty substance on it though, it is a residue from the corpse, 
and you find it only on the top and only at some scattered places."

This sounds good.. to good.. to logical. Patina is "coagulated history". It depends, what 
has happend with a piece of Art during the years. If we speak about a Tellem object,
there are at least 500 years. Since at least 500 years animals, in particular birds 
have inhabited the caves...and than the crusty substances should come from the 
remnants of the corpse? ...Hard to believe! 

"Usually, a collector does not want to pay approximately € 4000 to 7000 and more 
for a genuine headrest of the second category. Our greed dazzles us and
against common sense we like to believe in our bargain. So, if a headrest from the 
second category is offered to you for let us say €1000, you should be warned."

It is a different, if you say, "for 1.000,- Euro you can´t exspect an original piece"
or you say, "you should be warned". The last statement is wrong. If you look to the 
"Tribal Traffic", if you know how the pieces are coming from little villages, once from 
persons who have risked their  life to enter the Tellem caves, than to local dealers, 
than to the African Art dealers in the big African citys, who are travelling to Paris and 
Bruxelles and at least arriving at a Tribal Art Gallery with a certain brand name or a 
wellknown Auctionhouse, the "1.000,- Euro statement" of Bedaux sounds absurd. 

At the beginning the price is maybe 4,- Euro and at the end maybe 4.000 - 7.000,- Euro. 
But isn´t it the same piece? 

There is a market for these authentic, old objects existing in Africa. A couple of weeks 
ago I saw two Dogon pieces in Bamako. One was sold for 30.000,- Euro through a private 
auction in Bamako, purchased by Adama W. - one of the biggest Westafrican Art dealers. 
Forbidden making photos. But this piece will arrive in Europe, labeled probably with "old 
swiss-collection" or something similar. It was a very old Dogon-Object with a European 
endprice of approx. 100.000,- Euro and more.

Facit: The price is last not least a question on which level you are buying.

I would buy these headrests under aesthetic aspects - they are nice and they are stylistic 
close to originals. But under the aspect of authenticity I have certain doubts. Sometimes 
it is important to see objects in reality to get a judgement, which is based on more facts 
than photos can transmit.

Paolo 








Am 29.12.2006 um 22:25 schrieb Rand African Art:


I finally got the time to update my website with the comments and votes from people regarding the interactive exercise I did on my website with my Tellem headrests. The voting was open from December 12th to December 28th.
 
The purpose of this exercise was to show people how others look at the same type of object and see what other people's thoughts are.
 
I tried to add a little bit of text about the exercise and the headrests, it was almost 3am here when I finish this and my brain was done for the day, so I hope that it comes across ok and I hope that you enjoy seeing the results for this exercise for each headrest.
 
Click on the link below to go to the main page for links to each headrest:
 
 
Cheers!
RAND

Rand African Art <rand@randafricanart.com> wrote:
Hi group,
 
I'm currently doing an interactive sort of an exercise on my website with my Tellem headrests, sort of like I did with my Sukuma figure a while back. On each page for each headrest you'll get a chance to vote on their authenticity and make comments on them below the photos on the pages.
 
On December 20th I'll post the comments from the people that participated in this and I'll also add some commentary about the headrests then as well. I'll send a message to the group when the comments have been added.
 
I hope this will be an educational exercise for everyone.
 
Thanks in advance for your participation!
 
Link to the main page that contains links to the 2 headrests:
 
(On each page for each headrest you can click on any image to see a high resolution version which may be helpful in this exercise)
 
Cheers!
RAND




Reply | Messages in this Topic (5)
#1856 From: "Russ" <russelld.miller@...>
Date: Sat Dec 30, 2006 3:31 am
Subject: Re: Re:Tellem headrests - online interactive exercise on my website 		afrigolf
Send Email Send Email
 
Paolo,
I have stayed on the periphery of all these last discussions, but your last essay was confusing.  If you have an opportunity to see a true Tellem object it becomes a lot easier to spot the fake.  This is probably the basis for most African Art objects.  The problem is that many people never see and are able to hold in their hands (and yes, smell) the REAL thing.  Headrest smell is from the corpse.  Pretty gruesome, eh?   I have noticed that Dogon and Tellem are not the expertise of most of the members of this group, or maybe just not their area of interest.  The fact is there is not much of this material on the market that is worth considering, except very expensive objects, understandable since the Dogon are a relatively small enthnic group.
As far as the caves go, most are sealed so birds don't actually poop on centuries old Tellem objects.  Their patinas were set before they were placed.  You may be thinking about the present day sacrificial alters.  These are in villages and trust me, you don't find centuries old objects sitting out in the village square, poop or no poop.   
To get into some silly back and forth about whether or not an object is authentic hardly serves our forum. 
I feel fortunate to have gotten my expertise in a limited area back when objects were more available, Africa more accessible, and yes, naive, and the question of aesthetics as important as the question of authenticity.
 
After many, many years in Africa, thirteen in Mali, and more in the trade, this concept of an auction in Bamako wherein Adama is the winner is truly over the edge.  (also, if you live in Bamako, know Adama and have dealt with Adama, then you know how to spell his last name, please) It does remind me of something that took place years ago...a researcher from a prominent mid-Western University was doing research in Mali, lived in the Hippodrome and he showed me his collection of Bobo pieces that "the local dealers were all fighting over".  All junk, nice junk,  but he fell for it hook, line, and sinker.  Fortunately, he got them for the right price.
 
I would never discourage anyone from looking for that masterwork in Africa.  But, I would hope that the collector has at least seen what is considered one of the best examples from that group.  It does put things in perspective. 
Russell
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, December 29, 2006 8:14 PM
Subject: Re: [African_Arts] Re:Tellem headrests - online interactive exercise on my website



Some quotes from Jan Baptist Bedaux..and the limited view of someone, who isn´t
an expert for Tellem Objects.


"There is always a difference in colour at the bottom compared to the rest of 
the headrest. The bottom always looks lighter, which is understandable,
because it touches the ground."

Two monthes in the African sun...and you have 100 percent the effect, which 
Jan Baptist Bedaux is describing as typical for an original.

"But if they smell, you can almost be sure your headrest is a genuine one"

Many fakes have an incredible smell, because they were normally stored near
the kitchen, the African kitchen (!) where the smoke of the fire, is doing it´s work: 
drying the wood and creating certain forms of encrustrations and sometimes they 
piss on it, cursing the "white men, which are all bandits, because they don´t pay enough", 
and than you have this sweetish smell. Rand mentioned the strong smell of
his exemplares...this is not an indication of an original!

"For fakers, using very light wood, faking erosion is very
easy (probably with a sandblaster, or high-pressure spraying
pistol or whatsoever)"

I saw many Dogon/Tellem fakes made of very hard and heavy wood.
In Africa nobody ins using a sandblasters, or high-pressure-spaying to produce a fake.
The way, how they are make a piece looking old, is much more simple.
The weather and animals are doing this job. There are yards full of fakes and it takes 
some monthes or sometimes also years and the pieces have a patina, which is accepted 
by the market. If a headrest is standing on the ground for a certain time, you have also the 
effect of a different colored bottom.

"If you do find some crusty substance on it though, it is a residue from the corpse, 
and you find it only on the top and only at some scattered places."

This sounds good.. to good.. to logical. Patina is "coagulated history". It depends, what 
has happend with a piece of Art during the years. If we speak about a Tellem object,
there are at least 500 years. Since at least 500 years animals, in particular birds 
have inhabited the caves...and than the crusty substances should come from the 
remnants of the corpse? ...Hard to believe! 

"Usually, a collector does not want to pay approximately € 4000 to 7000 and more 
for a genuine headrest of the second category. Our greed dazzles us and
against common sense we like to believe in our bargain. So, if a headrest from the 
second category is offered to you for let us say €1000, you should be warned."

It is a different, if you say, "for 1.000,- Euro you can´t exspect an original piece"
or you say, "you should be warned". The last statement is wrong. If you look to the 
"Tribal Traffic", if you know how the pieces are coming from little villages, once from 
persons who have risked their  life to enter the Tellem caves, than to local dealers, 
than to the African Art dealers in the big African citys, who are travelling to Paris and 
Bruxelles and at least arriving at a Tribal Art Gallery with a certain brand name or a 
wellknown Auctionhouse, the "1.000,- Euro statement" of Bedaux sounds absurd. 

At the beginning the price is maybe 4,- Euro and at the end maybe 4.000 - 7.000,- Euro. 
But isn´t it the same piece? 

There is a market for these authentic, old objects existing in Africa. A couple of weeks 
ago I saw two Dogon pieces in Bamako. One was sold for 30.000,- Euro through a private 
auction in Bamako, purchased by Adama W. - one of the biggest Westafrican Art dealers. 
Forbidden making photos. But this piece will arrive in Europe, labeled probably with "old 
swiss-collection" or something similar. It was a very old Dogon-Object with a European 
endprice of approx. 100.000,- Euro and more.

Facit: The price is last not least a question on which level you are buying.

I would buy these headrests under aesthetic aspects - they are nice and they are stylistic 
close to originals. But under the aspect of authenticity I have certain doubts. Sometimes 
it is important to see objects in reality to get a judgement, which is based on more facts 
than photos can transmit.

Paolo 
Am 29.12.2006 um 22:25 schrieb Rand African Art:


I finally got the time to update my website with the comments and votes from people regarding the interactive exercise I did on my website with my Tellem headrests. The voting was open from December 12th to December 28th.
The purpose of this exercise was to show people how others look at the same type of object and see what other people's thoughts are.
 
I tried to add a little bit of text about the exercise and the headrests, it was almost 3am here when I finish this and my brain was done for the day, so I hope that it comes across ok and I hope that you enjoy seeing the results for this exercise for each headrest.
 
Click on the link below to go to the main page for links to each headrest:
 
 
Cheers!
RAND

Rand African Art <rand@randafricanart.com> wrote:
Hi group,
 
I'm currently doing an interactive sort of an exercise on my website with my Tellem headrests, sort of like I did with my Sukuma figure a while back. On each page for each headrest you'll get a chance to vote on their authenticity and make comments on them below the photos on the pages.
 
On December 20th I'll post the comments from the people that participated in this and I'll also add some commentary about the headrests then as well. I'll send a message to the group when the comments have been added.
 
I hope this will be an educational exercise for everyone.
 
Thanks in advance for your participation!
 
Link to the main page that contains links to the 2 headrests:
 
(On each page for each headrest you can click on any image to see a high resolution version which may be helpful in this exercise)
 
Cheers!
RAND




Reply | Messages in this Topic (5)
#1857 From: paolo paretti <paolo@...>
Date: Sat Dec 30, 2006 7:31 pm
Subject: Re: Re:Tellem headrests - online interactive exercise on my website 		maremaria2001
Send Email Send Email
 

Am 30.12.2006 um 04:31 schrieb Russ:

Thanks Russell,

there are some good inputs in your posting. Even I am several months of the year
in Mali, the Dogon/Tellem tribe isn´t in the focus of my interests, because it is very hard
nowdays to find pieces of an acceptable quality (with Bamana, Lobi and also Senufo it´s 
a little bit easier).

You are abolutly right, what you mentioned about the comparison of authentic, old pieces
with objects, which are offered nowadays. This is indead one of the biggest problems
for most of the collectors, who aren´t living in Paris or Bruxelles, where it is easy to find
pieces in private collections or at serious dealers, which gives the possibility of a comparsion
and good informations. I am living in Berlin. Here we have nearly no serious Tribal Art 
Gallery, but probably the biggest Ethnographic Museum with the smallest collection of West 
African Art.

How to get informations for a judgement?  Difficult! Whithout the possibility of a comparison,
it´s a high risk deal, to buy stuff from a more or less "unknown tribe". You can purchase under 
aesthetic aspects and that can be very  satisfying - Rand mentioned this several times - but if it
comes to the point "old, authentic or not"...no chance for a greenhorn. You need professional
advices. Not only an expert for African Art. It must be a specialist for the tribe you are 
interesting in.

According of the informations of local guides from the cliffs once - centuries ago - the caves 
were used as sealed tombs. But during the genocid the Dogon executed with the Tellem these 
caves were places of refuge. An information, which could be based on facts, if you imagin a 
medieval tribal-war and the concret situation of a siege in this area. After that the caves weren´t
sealed anymore and abandoned over centuries. At the first part of the last century parallel
with the trip of Marcel Griaule the situation changed and it was the first time a bigger
number of Tellem-objects were discovered.

Four years ago we excavated some Djenne-tombs in the Niger Inner Delta.
I know how it smells if you open the 800 or 1000 year old urns with it´s skeleton.
But all objects we found didn´t smell anymore after a couple of months on the
roof of our house in Mopti.

Once again: I have doubts, if I hear the arguments  of Jan Baptist Bedaux about the
sweetish corpse-smell. It´s a nice story and each story, which is around a tribal Art object,
make´s it more interesting and a little mystic balloon is also a good sales-promotion.

May be we should ask "Snoopy" to help us identifying a real Tellem object.
This sounds more reasonable for me. Than at the next Sothebys Auction all Tellem/Dogon
collectors will arrive with their dogs trained to go only for the "real stuff"...because they 
read in a book of Jan Baptist. 

Adama, living just round the corner of Hotel Tamana, Hippodrome, where poor Tribal dealers 
like me have their bed-rooms, is now in an age we have to respect him. If he is the "winner of an 
auction in Bamako" you can be sure, it is the most funny thing you can imagin. Ask him, if he knows 
Alain de Monbrison and he will respond: "never heard!" and ask Monbrison about Adama you will 
get the same answer. Guess this is the essence of Tribal-Traffic between Africa and Europe. 

Paolo

p.s. I admire your Layout, Russell. My Mac obvious doesn´t like this Newsgroup, he is always making a 
Napalm-Decor-Layout. I don´t know, what I am making wrong. Are you using html-code?





Paolo,

I have stayed on the periphery of all these last discussions, but your last essay was confusing.  If you have an opportunity to see a true Tellem object it becomes a lot easier to spot the fake.  This is probably the basis for most African Art objects.  The problem is that many people never see and are able to hold in their hands (and yes, smell) the REAL thing.  Headrest smell is from the corpse.  Pretty gruesome, eh?   I have noticed that Dogon and Tellem are not the expertise of most of the members of this group, or maybe just not their area of interest.  The fact is there is not much of this material on the market that is worth considering, except very expensive objects, understandable since the Dogon are a relatively small enthnic group.



As far as the caves go, most are sealed so birds don't actually poop on centuries old Tellem objects.  Their patinas were set before they were placed.  You may be thinking about the present day sacrificial alters.  These are in villages and trust me, you don't find centuries old objects sitting out in the village square, poop or no poop.   
To get into some silly back and forth about whether or not an object is authentic hardly serves our forum. 
I feel fortunate to have gotten my expertise in a limited area back when objects were more available, Africa more accessible, and yes, naive, and the question of aesthetics as important as the question of authenticity.
 
After many, many years in Africa, thirteen in Mali, and more in the trade, this concept of an auction in Bamako wherein Adama is the winner is truly over the edge.  (also, if you live in Bamako, know Adama and have dealt with Adama, then you know how to spell his last name, please) It does remind me of something that took place years ago...a researcher from a prominent mid-Western University was doing research in Mali, lived in the Hippodrome and he showed me his collection of Bobo pieces that "the local dealers were all fighting over".  All junk, nice junk,  but he fell for it hook, line, and sinker.  Fortunately, he got them for the right price.
 
I would never discourage anyone from looking for that masterwork in Africa.  But, I would hope that the collector has at least seen what is considered one of the best examples from that group.  It does put things in perspective. 
Russell
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, December 29, 2006 8:14 PM
Subject: Re: [African_Arts] Re:Tellem headrests - online interactive exercise on my website




Some quotes from Jan Baptist Bedaux..and the limited view of someone, who isn´t
an expert for Tellem Objects.


"There is always a difference in colour at the bottom compared to the rest of 
the headrest. The bottom always looks lighter, which is understandable,
because it touches the ground."

Two monthes in the African sun...and you have 100 percent the effect, which 
Jan Baptist Bedaux is describing as typical for an original.

"But if they smell, you can almost be sure your headrest is a genuine one"

Many fakes have an incredible smell, because they were normally stored near
the kitchen, the African kitchen (!) where the smoke of the fire, is doing it´s work: 
drying the wood and creating certain forms of encrustrations and sometimes they 
piss on it, cursing the "white men, which are all bandits, because they don´t pay enough", 
and than you have this sweetish smell. Rand mentioned the strong smell of
his exemplares...this is not an indication of an original!

"For fakers, using very light wood, faking erosion is very
easy (probably with a sandblaster, or high-pressure spraying
pistol or whatsoever)"

I saw many Dogon/Tellem fakes made of very hard and heavy wood.
In Africa nobody ins using a sandblasters, or high-pressure-spaying to produce a fake.
The way, how they are make a piece looking old, is much more simple.
The weather and animals are doing this job. There are yards full of fakes and it takes 
some monthes or sometimes also years and the pieces have a patina, which is accepted 
by the market. If a headrest is standing on the ground for a certain time, you have also the 
effect of a different colored bottom.

"If you do find some crusty substance on it though, it is a residue from the corpse, 
and you find it only on the top and only at some scattered places."

This sounds good.. to good.. to logical. Patina is "coagulated history". It depends, what 
has happend with a piece of Art during the years. If we speak about a Tellem object,
there are at least 500 years. Since at least 500 years animals, in particular birds 
have inhabited the caves...and than the crusty substances should come from the 
remnants of the corpse? ...Hard to believe! 

"Usually, a collector does not want to pay approximately € 4000 to 7000 and more 
for a genuine headrest of the second category. Our greed dazzles us and
against common sense we like to believe in our bargain. So, if a headrest from the 
second category is offered to you for let us say €1000, you should be warned."

It is a different, if you say, "for 1.000,- Euro you can´t exspect an original piece"
or you say, "you should be warned". The last statement is wrong. If you look to the 
"Tribal Traffic", if you know how the pieces are coming from little villages, once from 
persons who have risked their  life to enter the Tellem caves, than to local dealers, 
than to the African Art dealers in the big African citys, who are travelling to Paris and 
Bruxelles and at least arriving at a Tribal Art Gallery with a certain brand name or a 
wellknown Auctionhouse, the "1.000,- Euro statement" of Bedaux sounds absurd. 

At the beginning the price is maybe 4,- Euro and at the end maybe 4.000 - 7.000,- Euro. 
But isn´t it the same piece? 

There is a market for these authentic, old objects existing in Africa. A couple of weeks 
ago I saw two Dogon pieces in Bamako. One was sold for 30.000,- Euro through a private 
auction in Bamako, purchased by Adama W. - one of the biggest Westafrican Art dealers. 
Forbidden making photos. But this piece will arrive in Europe, labeled probably with "old 
swiss-collection" or something similar. It was a very old Dogon-Object with a European 
endprice of approx. 100.000,- Euro and more.

Facit: The price is last not least a question on which level you are buying.

I would buy these headrests under aesthetic aspects - they are nice and they are stylistic 
close to originals. But under the aspect of authenticity I have certain doubts. Sometimes 
it is important to see objects in reality to get a judgement, which is based on more facts 
than photos can transmit.

Paolo 








Am 29.12.2006 um 22:25 schrieb Rand African Art:


I finally got the time to update my website with the comments and votes from people regarding the interactive exercise I did on my website with my Tellem headrests. The voting was open from December 12th to December 28th.
The purpose of this exercise was to show people how others look at the same type of object and see what other people's thoughts are.
 
I tried to add a little bit of text about the exercise and the headrests, it was almost 3am here when I finish this and my brain was done for the day, so I hope that it comes across ok and I hope that you enjoy seeing the results for this exercise for each headrest.
 
Click on the link below to go to the main page for links to each headrest:
 
 
Cheers!
RAND

Rand African Art <rand@randafricanart.com> wrote:
Hi group,
 
I'm currently doing an interactive sort of an exercise on my website with my Tellem headrests, sort of like I did with my Sukuma figure a while back. On each page for each headrest you'll get a chance to vote on their authenticity and make comments on them below the photos on the pages.
 
On December 20th I'll post the comments from the people that participated in this and I'll also add some commentary about the headrests then as well. I'll send a message to the group when the comments have been added.
 
I hope this will be an educational exercise for everyone.
 
Thanks in advance for your participation!
 
Link to the main page that contains links to the 2 headrests:
 
(On each page for each headrest you can click on any image to see a high resolution version which may be helpful in this exercise)
 
Cheers!
RAND







Reply | Messages in this Topic (5)
#1858 From: Rand African Art <rand@...>
Date: Sun Dec 31, 2006 1:43 am
Subject: Object Lessons:Authenticity in African Art - Kent State University Museum 		denverrand
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The exhibition being put on by the Kent State University Museum in Ohio looks very interesting. The have a nice group of photographs of the exhibition on their website as well and I've put a link to the page with the photos below.
 
If anyone has been to the exhibition it would be great to hear what your thoughts were on it.
 
Object Lessons:
Authenticity in African Art
Kent State University Museum
Kent, Ohio

Mull and Palmer Galleries
October 26, 2006 to June 3, 2007

Fred Smith & Jordan Fenton
Guest Curators
 

Reply | Messages in this Topic (1)
#1859 From: "escultura78" <markuswurm@...>
Date: Sun Dec 31, 2006 11:52 am
Subject: Happy New Year! 		escultura78
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Dear group!

I want to thank everyone who gave me response and everyone else for
posting and discussing...during the last few months of participating in
the group I learned a lot...

I wish everyone a Happy New Year!

Markus

Reply | Messages in this Topic (2)
#1860 From: Veronique Martelliere <proximatribal@...>
Date: Sun Dec 31, 2006 3:42 pm
Subject: Wishes 		proximatribal
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Happy birthday to the world...
Happy Year 2007 to all AA & AA members...
... and wishing also Africa happier & better years in the future.
Vero

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#1861 From: "maremaria2001" <paolo@...>
Date: Sun Dec 24, 2006 9:31 am
Subject: Merry and Happy by Paolo Paretti 		maremaria2001
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...one of the most beautiful works of African Art I could purchase in the last
years.

This year I made a three week trip by an Italian container-ship from Hamburg,
Germany, to
Lome, Togo, The crew of the ship - the "Repubblica di Venezia" - was coming from
South
Italy, most of them from Palermo, Sizila. I was the only passenger together with
my old
Toyota Jeep and 4.500 other rusty cars for my African friends.

Here a short video, which shows the Loading of the cars and my passion for
Chairs

http://video.google.de/videoplay?docid=-6382746191919665745&q=setubal

and because I love African Art & Chairs you can´t imagin how attached I am to
this fine
exemplare, which is one the most beautiful pieces I could purchase in the last
years. It is now
exhibited in my house in Bamako, Mali and will be part of an African Design
Exhibition in the
Museum for African Art, NY. in 2009.

http://www.jaenicke-njoya.com/s517/pages/IMG_232213.htm

Merry and Happy

Paolo Paretti

Reply | Messages in this Topic (2)
#1862 From: paolo paretti <paolo@...>
Date: Sun Dec 31, 2006 5:07 pm
Subject: Re: Wishes 		maremaria2001
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For Vero and all the other, who don´t know: 
Paolo Paretti isn´t a "wolf" anymore...
he changed his identity for 2007
Now he is a...


...on the way from Africa to Colorado! 
"Hmm...two and one is four...guess there is something to fetch!"


Paolo



Am 31.12.2006 um 16:42 schrieb Veronique Martelliere:


Happy birthday to the world...
Happy Year 2007 to all AA & AA members...
... and wishing also Africa happier & better years in the future.
Vero

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Reply | Messages in this Topic (2)
#1863 From: "roncppccll" <roncppccll@...>
Date: Sun Dec 31, 2006 10:09 pm
Subject: to Rand Lee and the African Arts Group 		roncppccll
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Hello All,Rand, thank you for the beautiful objects you sold me I'll
enjoy them twice a much in 07.Also,to you,Lee, and the group many
thanks for sharing your knowledge,and helpful information.My best
wishes to all for a Happy and Healthy New Year,continued success and
most of all, PEACE & lOVE in "07". Ron

Reply | Messages in this Topic (1)
#1864 From: Rand African Art <rand@...>
Date: Sun Dec 31, 2006 11:32 pm
Subject: Happy New Year! 		denverrand
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The comic strip below was the last Calvin and Hobbes comic strip printed - December 31, 1995, I love it. Every day I looked forward to reading the paper so I could see the world through the eyes of Calvin and Hobbes.
 
I wish everyone out there a world that looks brand new, a fresh clean start, a big white sheet of paper to draw on, a New Year full of possibilities!
 
Happy New Year!
 
RAND
 
 

Reply | Messages in this Topic (2)
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