Posted on Friday 28th March, 2008
Embracing the Sacred in Yoruba Art
Courtesy of High Museum of Art, Atlanta
Embodying the Sacred in Yoruba Art: Featuring the Bernard and Patricia Wagner Collection is divided into three thematic sections, beginning with art that glorifies the head—highly valued in Yoruba culture as the seat of intelligence and a site of perception, communication and identity. Upon entering, visitors will encounter an impressive Epa headdress, which embodies the concept of onà, the Yoruba word that means “unique form” or “embodiment of creative skill.” Epa headdresses are created and danced to celebrate cultural achievement in annual and biennial performances. Next, visitors will discover several examples of the type of work referred to as “house of the head” (ile ori), crown-shaped containers meant to be placed on an altar in gratitude for good fortune. The section closes with examples of three different types of beaded crowns: the sacred crown with beaded veil, a crown dedicated to a patron deity and more casual headgear without veils. Supplementing this royal display will be swords, scepters and other regalia.
Section two, the largest of the exhibition, provides an introduction and overview of Yoruba deities, or òrìsà. Traditional Yoruba religion is complex, with more than 400 gods and a supreme creator, Olòdúmarè. The presentation will include altar images and ritual implements related to the three major categories of deities: primordial beings, deified ancestors and nature spirits. The exhibition will focus on eight deities in Yoruba culture, including Èsù/Elégba, the mediator; Òsanyìn, patron deity of healing and herbalists; Òrìsà Oko, deity of agriculture; and Sàngó, guardian of social justice and spiritual wellbeing.
The final section of the exhibition brings together a variety of Yoruba masquerade genres, focusing on the most popular festivals: Egúngún, Epa and Gèlèdé. Masks reflect the belief that the human body is a work of art that makes the spirit visible in the physical world. The exhibition will feature both sculpted and wooden masks as well as full-body costumes.
Read more about the exhibition From the High Museum of Art, Atlanta.
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