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Yoruba Art & Sculpture at Hallie FordSelections from the Mary Johnston Collection
Yoruba Sculpture: Selections from the Mary Johnston Collection features a range of ritual objects found among the Yoruba people of West Africa, including masks worn in various rituals, cult figures in bronze and wood, drums used in different ceremonies, beaded objects and garments, and house posts and architectural elements designed to bring favor on the household.
Mary Johnston, who holds degrees from the University of Oregon in anthropology and psychology, inherited the collection from her brother, who acquired it in Berlin, Germany in the early 1970s. She has devoted the past 20 years to studying the pieces. The features on this Yoruba mask are symbolic of the belief that older women have the power to transform themselves into birds and fly in darkness on missions of good or evil. The beard is a symbol of wisdom and extraordinary power, the snake is a symbol of cunning, and the crescent moon-shape above the forehead lights the woman's way in darkness. Exhibit offers vivid look into Yoruba people25 objects touch on religious mythology, cultural beliefs of the West African tribe The Hallie Ford Museum of Art's new exhibit comes from Nigeria by way of Berlin, Germany and Florence. "Yoruba Sculpture: Selections from the Mary Johnston Collection" features 25 objects on loan from Johnston's collection in Florence, on the Oregon Coast. Organized by museum director John Olbrantz, the exhibition of ritual objects found among the Yoruba people of West Africa is a small but surprisingly vivid look into the culture of a large West African tribe, found mainly in Nigeria. The exhibit is in the small Study Gallery, but there are additional pieces in the lobby, including an elaborate, 8-foot-tall door post, a ceremonial costume and a beaded headdress. The show is on display until March 16. 2008
"I don't think you can divorce their form from their function," Olbrantz said. "They're also exquisite works of art." The stylized carvings, believed done primarily by men of the tribe, recall why western artists such as Picasso and Braque were influenced by African art. There are elements of Cubism and other modern movements in the spare but evocative carvings. Among the interesting parts of the exhibit are the Ibeji figures, depictions of twins -- common in Yoruba society. If one of the twins died, the figures supposedly ensured the continued health of the surviving twin. Twins are thought to have special spiritual powers to ward off disaster in Yoruba belief; the death of one is thought to imperil the other because the balance of soul is disturbed. A cast bronze on display in the lobby, in front of the museum doors, is of King Ewuare, a ruler of the ancient kingdom of Benin and his name is translated as "the trouble has passed," a reference to his stable rule. The Egungun masquerade costume, made of cloth, shells, yarn and metal coins, has a name that can be translated as "concealed powers of the ancestor" and allow the wearer to merge with the spirits of the ancestors. The Gelede headdresses are part of an annual celebration honoring the power of women, who could use their powers for good or evil, and are worn by pairs of men. There also are Gelede masks; in identical pairs, they illustrate the belief in the importance of duality. One of the more elaborate pieces is a carved wood Egungun divination bowl, with paint and leather. The figures depicted are a drummer, a family member-hunter, an ancestor spirit (Egungun) and the prostrate figure of a devotee of the Egungun. The Olumeye bowl, vividly dyed in blue, is used to hold kola nuts as offerings of hospitality. The kneeling position of the figure is a gesture of respect and devotion, while the chicken on the lid is a symbol of honor and prosperity. An illustrated lecture and an evening of films further explaining Yoruba culture will be part of the exhibit. "Yoruba Sculpture: Selections from the Mary Johnston Collection" has been supported in part by grants from the city of Salem's Transient Occupancy Tax and the Oregon Arts Commission. rcowan@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6728 |
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The exhibition includes masks worn in various festivals and rituals, such as
the Gelede and Egungun ceremonies; cult figures made of bronze and wood,
including Shango wands and Ibeji figures; Dun Dun drums used in different
ceremonies; an 
Yoruba,
a large ethnic-linguistic group in West Africa, have an unhappy connection
to the United States: A large number of them were enslaved during the 18th
and early 19th century and brought elements of their culture to the
Caribbean and the Americas, including the United States.
