A Journey Through Africa Project #5

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is the largest art museum in the world. It has been New York's historical art museum since 1870s. It has a collection that showcases 5,000 years of art from different cultures around the world. I was given the opportunity to present an online exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum.

As the curator for this exhibition I decided that my theme should generalize the continent of Africa ranging from the people, societies, civilization and the many unique cultures. African culture is incredibly interesting because it’s very diverse. I decided to go with this theme because I found the history of Africa very interesting the way it is portrayed through art. With over 47 countries every African country has a mix of tribes with their unique language and culture.  

I want my views to get an inside look of Africa from slavery, childbirth, beauty, art and music. The “Seated Female Figure” (1965) is part of a group sculpture where are seated in a position showing their physical power of a woman. I want my views to see the different ways African express themselves through baskets and how they served as useful containers in everyday Zulu life that were usually decorated with very simple designs or left completely devoid of ornament the photo of “Lidded Basket” (2000) shows a form of expression from South Africa. “Casspirs Full of Love” (1989-2000) refers to an episode of South African. In 1974, the military dictatorship in Portugal was toppled.

Casspirs Full of Love

William Kentridge (South African, born Johannesburg, 1955)

Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary Art 

Seated Female Figure
The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Gift of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1965
Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas 

Male Figure Holding Animal Horn

The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979

Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas 

Headdress: Female Bust (D'mba)
The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979
Arts of Africa, Oceania and the America

Prestige Stool: Female Caryatid

Buli Master, possibly Ngongo ya Chintu (Hemba, ca. 1810-1870)

Arts of Africa, Oceania and the America

Crucifix

Gift of Ernst Anspach, 1999

Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas 

 Couple
Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace, Daniel and Marian Malcolm, and James J. Ross Gifts, 2001
Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas 

Marble head of a man

Rogers Fund, 1921

Greek and Roman Art 

Drum

Gift of Raymond E. Britt, Sr., 1977

Musical Instruments  

Jitterbugs V

William Henry Johnson (American, 1901–1970)

Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary Art

Portrait Mask (Gba gba)

Bequest of Adrienne Minassian, 1997

Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas 

 Terracotta vase in the form of a black African youth's head
Greek and Roman Art 

 Lidded Basket
Rogers Fund, 2000
Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas

Glass cup in the form of the head of an African

Gift of Henry G. Marquand, 1881

Greek and Roman Art 

A Black Man in Three-quarter Profile

Frans Crabbe van Espleghem (Netherlandish, ca. 1480–1552)

Drawings and Prints