Royals and Regalia: Inside the Palaces of Nigeria's Monarchs

Until August 9, the New Jersey's Newark Museum presents Royals & Regalia: Inside the Palaces of Nigeria’s Monarchs, a showcase of forty visually stunning portraits from a new series by acclaimed Nigerian photographer George Osodi. Exhibited for the first time in the US, these vibrant color photographs feature the regional rulers of modern-day monarchies throughout the country. They provide audiences with a rare and intimate look inside Nigeria’s palaces and throne rooms, capturing the personalities of the rulers, the splendor of their dress, and the details of their settings. The near life-size photographs will be shown to dramatic effect along with select examples of prestige dress and regalia from the internationally renowned collections of the Newark Museum.

For more information, visit the exhibition's official website.

Images and info courtesy of the Newark Museum

Embodying the Sacred in Yoruba Art at Kean University

Embodying the Sacred in Yoruba Art, on view through April 18 at Kean University’s Karl and Helen Burger Gallery, comprises twenty-eight Yoruba masterpieces from Nigeria, Benin, and Togo, all sourced from the collection of the Newark Museum. The pieces in the show, which were produced from the late nineteenth through the twentieth century, highlight the relationship between art and the spiritual world.

Visit the exhibition's official website.

Staff of authority, ipawo ase  -  Nigeria

Crown, ade abetiaja  -  Nigeria, 1970s

Twin figure, ere ibeji  -  Nigeria, 20th century

Sword of authority, ida ase  -  Nigeria, 19th–20th century

Dance vest with Esu figures  -  Nigeria, 19th–20th century

Divination tray, opon ifa  -  Nigeria, first half of 20th century  -  Attributed to Areogun or atelier

Egungun mask  -  Nigeria, 20th century

Information and images courtesy of Kean University and the Newark Museum.

Expanding Africa at the Newark Museum

For nearly a century, the Newark Museum has been a pioneer among U.S. museums in the collecting and display of African art. Today, the Museum’s nationally known collection includes nearly 5,000 works representing artistic creativity, past and present, from throughout the continent.

Expanding Africa at the Newark Museum: New Visions, New Galleries features exceptional works of art from the Museum’s extensive and ever-growing collection. Bringing together contemporary and historic works in a range of different media, the exhibition seeks to broaden conventional ideas about African art while encouraging dialogue about its constantly evolving definition. The exhibition also introduces the Newark Museum’s initiative to expand its galleries for the exhibit and teaching of African art, the completion of which is planned to coincide with the centennial of this important collection in 2015.

Visit the official website of the Newark Museum.

Female figure  -  Chokwe, Angola  - Late 19th or early 20th century

Many Came Back, 2005  -  El Anatsui

Shawl (lamba akotofahana)  -  Madagascar  -  19th century

Untitled (Seated Woman), 1956–1957  -  Seydou Keita

Text and images courtesy of the Newark Museum