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OnceaworkofAfricanarthasbeenremovedfromitsoriginalcontextitisgivenadifferentsignificancereflectingtheaestheticsofthecollectorortheexhibitinginstitutionandremovingitfromtheoriginalintentoftheculturethatmadeandusedit.TheobjectmaybemovedfromonedisplaytoanotherfromaprivatecollectiontoamuseumexhibitioneachwithitsownwayofinterpretingAfricanart.ForinstanceinarecentQCCexhibitionoftheMarshallandCarolineMountcollectionofCameroonobjectsweacceptedthehypothesisthatallcategoriesofsculptureandcraftinallmaterialsandmodesofusageshouldbeconsideredAfricanart.YesJimandMargeWilsoncouldhavecollectedAfricanartfromtheaestheticviewpointofpureformofinternalsculpturalrelationshipsandbeautyoflinevolumeandproportion.Perhapsinthebeginningoftheircollectinginthe1970stheydid.ButJimwhohadaninteriordesignbusinessHouseofEbonysawmoreinAfricanartthanpureform.InhisownbackgroundhehasbothIgboandAsanteancestors.Heunderstoodthattheexcitementofceremonydanceandcelebrationdemandednotonlysculpturebutakaleidoscopeofformscolorspatinaandmaterials.Hisultimatestrengthasacollectorlayinhisappreciationoftheentireartifactwithitshistoryintact.Hesawtherelationshipamongthemanyobjectsusedwithinthesameceremonyoreventinsupportofoneanother.Whileherecognizedsculptureinitspurestate---lineshapevolumeplaneandproportion---hewasalsodrawntothetotalpresentation.Theseincludetheaccoutrementscolorstexturespatinasandvariousrawmaterialsthatcreatetheentityconceivedbytheoriginalsocietyanditsmasqueraders.Theseextraneousmaterialshaveoftenbeendiscardedoromittedbydealerscollectorsandmuseumsthatpreferredthearttobeseeninitspurestate.JimWilsonwaslessinterestedinthatpurestateandmoreinthetraditionsreflectedbythetotalensembleincludingthedanceitsagetherefurbishmentsadditionsandchanges.Thisentireculturalartifactisapreserveroftraditionatransmitteroftheaestheticsandvaluesofitspeople.InchoosingtheseselectionsfromJimscollectionwehopetohaveencapsulatedtheveryessenceofhisvision.JimWilsonhasbroughttothecollectingofAfricanartalargerstatementwhichheperceivesasthetrueaesthetic.Thisapproachintegratesaspectsoftimecolormaterialsmusicandmotion.Alongwithanobjectsfineandsometimesprofoundsculpturalvalueshehascollectedtheentirecostumewhichrequiresonlyanimationtoreviveitsoriginalappearance.Hewantstofeelthespitonthepiecetohearthesecretswhisperedintothewood.WehopethisexhibitionconveysthatspiritthatitexpressesabitmorethanoneexpectstoseeinashowofAfricanart.Wehopeitwillcommunicatetheexcitementofthefulltraditionreflectedthroughthevarietyofmaterialtextilescolorsandformsthatitwillconveythesoundsofthemusicthemotionofthedanceandthefeelingofthefestivalorcourt.Hewantsustoseethewholeandunderstandthatsculpturalformisjustapartofsomethingmuchlarger.Itwasworkandfunputtingthisexhibitiontogether.Weexplorednewterritory.IthadmanysurprisesandturnedusawayfromconventionalthinkingmoretowardJimWilsonsvision.ThroughtheEyesofOurAncestorshasopenedoureyesabitmoreontothecomplexitiesofAfricanartandwhatmakesitsocaptivating.Ourexplorationofitsmeaningsandaestheticshasbeenandstillremainsanongoingprocess.LeonardKahanandDonnaPageIMAGeS1.JollyMasquradhadpicTemneSierraLeoneWoodfabricmirrors2812inches2.FmalMaskensmblDan-IvoryCoastLiberiaWoodkaolintextilesbrassbellsbeadsbasketrycowriesmask11inchestotallength63inches3.RobHausaNigeriaCotton40x56inches3