A provisional translation from German original (LINK), by DvG
Origin ( Songye?) and significance were unknown to the trader. Origin might be of minor relevance, he said. But the person has a strong charisma, regardless of the feeding marks, so it’s a work of art! Care and abrasion over a long period of time let the undamaged parts of the surface shine discreetly. So it has been a cult object! Weiterlesen…
September 7, 2018 | dvg Original in German (Link) A R E V I E W UPDATED !
Dans mes recherches autour d’un tabouret miniature «Karyatide» (Blog en Allemand: “Frauen in tragender Stellung” ; LINK), des divers aspects ont fait surface, surtout celui de caractéristiques ethniques ou régionales supposées.
C’est tout à fait normal de recontrer la notion « lubaîsé » appliquée aux voisins des ‘Luba’, souvent pour signaliser une domination de leur style royal dans toute la sphère d’influence de l’ancien Royaume des Luba, peut-être censée trop évidente pour la remettre en question. Weiterlesen…
Écrit le 12.2., rédigé le 8.3.2019 (2nd version d’un Allemand) Original allemand :LINK
Link to the German Version (since 28.12.18)
“There is so much malnutrition in the Bandundu Province that people have not been dancing much since 1990” (Z.S.Strother, 2007) “Although the masking situation in the Bandundu was unhealthy in 2007, in 2017-18 there were a number of (large) mukanda camps in the Kasai” (Z.S.Strother, Jan. 2019)
Once upon a time …. The Pende liked dance performances like crazy. Social event! Weiterlesen…
May 28 to July 19, 2018 (Link to the German original) Weiterlesen…
26cm high (visible 23) , 17.5 cm wide, 460g – Click to enlarge the icons
The mask is sweepingly generalized, inside coarse, but functional, e.g. with its wide channel between the eye openings. My face fits in perfectly, the view slightly downward is good. The edges are slightly rounded and show some shine. Willy knows the wood from Pende masks,
The front of the mask shows no superfluous cut or smoothing. So the the area covered by the cap was treated only with the chisel. On the black right side, slight blade marks give additional dynamics to the surfaces.
From the beginning I associate the performance of an excited dancer who is set to play the role of the cursed but militant man. Weiterlesen…
Hochgeladen am 14.12.2016
English Translation and a wonderful painting dated 1932 and signed Wiegmann – like emerging out of the fog!
> AT THE END
Ein kleines Taschenalbum von 11 cm Breite und 6 cm Höhe, in rotes Kunstleder gebunden, enthält heute noch sechzehn fotografische Reproduktionen von Bildern Wiegmanns vom Beginn der dreißiger Jahre. Die kräftigen Hochglanzfotografien von 6 x 4 cm bis 8 x 5 1/2 cm sind auf hellgraues oder grünes Papier geklebt, passend für die Zellophan-Taschen. Wir blicken auf sie wie aus großer Entfernung. Sie wirken in ihren kräftigen Schwärzen wie Miniaturen. Man ahnt mehr als man sieht. Details gehen unter, aber das scheint den Benutzer nicht zu stören. Die Bilder sind einfach da. Ikonen. War dies ein Album für die Westentasche, für das Reisegepäck zur eigenen Rückversicherung oder als künstlerische Visitenkarte für unvorhergesehene Gelegenheiten? Weiterlesen…
I published a Short Report of the Study in my Blog (in German) Here is an English Translation in a provisional version! 21.5.2018 v.Graeve (Revised 6.8.2018)
The term ‘social defense’ may be not as common today as it was in the seventies and eighties (Link: Wikipedia), but it fits to the features of the crisis and activities described in the essay.
The title of Till Förster’s dossier says freely translated: “Peace in a War Zone. The Ivorian crisis viewed from below and over a long period”. The focus lies on ‚Islands of peace’ in the area around Korhogo and Boundiali on the Ivory Coast. The author has done extensive fieldwork ever since 1979 to the present.
My ’translation’ is not authorized and does not claim to be literal. I want to popularize the fascinating story secluded in an academic paper. And to retell Till Foerster’s fascinating story in my way. The chiffres in bracket refer to the corresponding page in the original.
Published 14 february 2017
Original Version: 10 february 2017
Fetish (Nkishi): openings in the back and navel
Slave: her hands bound together – Felix (100 Peoples) mentions the traditional status of slaves.It cannot be someone else.
Beautiful woman: elaborate noble hairstyle with shaved forehead, straight and quite long neck with three rolls; The woman wears 11 tiny copper nails as ornament: 3 from the nose to the back, 2 to the eyes, 6 to the right and left of the temples; she has expressive bean eyes (elevations plus nails) and a disarming smile like a smiley face .She looks directly at the viewer with raised and marked eyebrows and sharp eyes, Her smile conveys serenity.She is very pregnant with an attractive belly, hollow lower back and nice buttocks.The attitude is impeccable. The master did nothing superfluous: no jewels on the fuselage (So sure, that she is Songye!) Weiterlesen…
25 janvier 2017|dvg
Le groupe de figures Yombe a initié, il y a un an, le “Projet Congo” sur ce page Web mais il n’est y pas arrivé ici jusqu’à ce jour.
Je commence par les descriptions de la femme et du chien pour faire regarder les deux de plus près. Je présente des lieux où on trouvent tels groupes de figures, et je vais finir avec quelques réflexions sur la figure mâle.
Published: 17 february 2017
Original version 22 january 2017
A delicate double figure of a land chief, 32 cm high. Dark patina shining red on the edges, dense wood. Condition: Good. It was part of a family treasure. I cannot say how old, as Mobutu since 1965 has modernized and solidified the rights of those who traditionally possessed the ground. A remarkable resistance to the German climate points to an earlier date of making. Weiterlesen…
published 17 february 2017
Original version 22 november 2016
The attached picture numbers ( no … ) refer to the monograph by Francois Neyt : La redoutable Statuaire Songye d’Afrique Centrale, Fonds Mercator, Antwerp (5 continents) 2004.
