When an individual steps into a museum multitude of cultures and traditions rattles the mind. The fascinating world of historical icons, battles and myths live in harmony with contemporary art. Art overtime has been cultured and used to express human ideology, psychology and nature. Religious traditions and cultural can be easily concentrated into a piece of art. From my recent visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art I experienced the sacred realm of African art. Every artifact, painting, pot and textile expressed great magnitude of respect for community and religion. Many of the different regional artworks were “religious or functional in nature.”
The mood of the art exhibit was controlled with lightening and showcases arrangement. Artifacts are sensitive to harsh lights because of the possibility of fading and other damages. The humidity of the room is controlled as well to preserve the artifacts. The African art exhibit was staged in a mellow and ritualistic manner. The lights were dimmed with displayed artifacts inside glass cases and outside. “Display lightening in museums often include requirements for a more dramatic style of presentation” to create a more dynamic effect and to emphasis certain point of view. The exhibit lights were used to create a holy atmosphere to emphasis to the audience the importance of artwork in the African religion, community and customs.
I learned from this exhibit that art is what one creates to express the inner most depth of human psychology and ideology. The exhibit was flourishing with ritual masks, wine horns, stools, tapestries and daunting statues. There were certain pieces of artwork that stood out the most for me. These pieces of work were odd to my wandering eyes, but fascinating as well.
A 16th century Benin ivory mask from the Edo people from Nigeria caught my attention the most. The mask had human-like characteristics and was different from others. The mask was carved out of ivory which was white and in the Benin tradition white represents ritual purity, extraordinary wealth and fertility. The color is associated with the God of sea, Olokun. Ivory also played a great role in brining wealth to Benin because it was used as a commercial commodity for trade with Portuguese traders. The mask was a created in the early sixteen century to honor King Benin’s mother, Idia. It was decorated at the crown and collar with mudfish images and bearded images of Portuguese traders. The mudfish is symbolic because it they live both on land and water; their dual nature compliments the King because he is seen as both human and divine.
Visit to an art museum is not just a visit it is a travel back in time. My outlook towards museum was much different before visit. I had always found the idea of a museum to be a dreading place with old relics, but now my outlook has changed. Museums hold history, religion and tradition in a piece of art like a time capsule. The African art being the dramatic than the others I visited and much more fascinating.
