Following « Adivasi, other masters of India », another abounding and amazing exhibition, this time dedicated to the Bantu culture, has opened on June 22 at the Musée du Quai Branly, Paris. Not only does the event host masterpieces of African sculpture Matisse and Picasso themselves had mentioned as fascinating, it also tells us about the people who produced the objects, about their culture, their environment. And the languages these people spoke are far from being left out.

The Congo River is the thread curator François Neyt uses to bring the pieces together and raise how much culture they share. The exhibition kicks off with a geographical account on what all this art has in common:

– A first map draws the evolution of the Bantu languages, which rose in Nigeria ca 3,000 years BC before developing into two separate branches: a Western branch, along the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean, and an Eastern branch spreading inland around the great lakes region.

These languages, all part of the same family, were the vectors of knowledge that enabled artists to develop a common artistic tradition.

– A second map shows the important part played by the Congo Basin rainforest, providing the artists with similar weather conditions, similar types of materials…

Then follows a journey along the river, winding up in three stages:

The heart-shaped masks of the Kwele, Vuvi and Lega ethnic groups come first; some way off the boundaries of style, filled with symbol. The second part hosts the reliquaries of honourable ancestors, face covered in either dark patina or brass flakes. And the last section is dedicated to the representation of women, highly powerful for their ability to bring life upon earth. Hence the matrilineal Punu society (Gabon) where parental ties are only guaranteed within the mother’s family: Punu children are looked after by their uncles, not their father.

For more on the Punu community, please refer to the numerous videos shot by Sorosoro and our indexes of the Punu language and the Niger-Congo language family.

« The Congo River, Arts from Central Africa.»
June 22 – October 3, 2010
Musée du quai Branly
37, quai Branly
Paris 75007
FRANCE
Tel. : +33 (0)1 56 61 70 00