Arts du Nigeria révisites

Without aspiring to exhaustively detail the cultural production of Nigeria across its 2000-year history, the collection at the Musée Barbier-Mueller is very rich in several respects. Faithful to chronological continuity, it provides a sample of the production of the major cultural centers of Nigeria, shedding light on archaeological pieces from Nok, Katsina, and Sokoto, works from Ife and the kingdom of Benin, and Yoruba, Ijo, and Igbo objects, as well as items from the Cross River and the Benue Valley. By virtue of their rarity, certain pieces in the collection constitute “monuments” of African art. Others, by their emblematic force, are among its great “classics.” Arts du Nigeria révisites, on view through January 17, 2016, sets out to present these remarkable objects, highlighting their aesthetic qualities while explaining, by means of the exhibition's accompanying catalogue, the ethnographic context of their production and use.

To find out more, visit the official exhibition website.

Worship fan  -  Yoruba

Head depicting a woman  -  Ife

Helmet mask  -  Igbo

Head crest  -  Afo

Images courtesy of the Musée Barbier-Mueller

Voudou, du visible à l'invisible

Entering its last weeks at the Musée Africain de Lyon is Voudou, du visible à l'invisible (Voodoo: From the Visible to the Invisible), an exhibition exploring Voodoo beliefs and rituals through works from the collection of Claude Rouyer, an expert in Benin material who has collected fetishes and magical objects for more than twenty years. Photographs by Angés Pataux complement the objects, emphasizing the living and vital aspects of contemporary Voodoo practices.

View the exhibition's official website.

Image courtesy of Musée Africain de Lyon