Images(4)

Seated Figural Group

Artist Foday Brima Sierra Leonean, active in Koribondu, 20th century

Dateearly 1970s

MediumWood and pigment

DimensionsH. 29 1/2 in. (74.9 cm) x Diam. 15 in. (38.1 cm)

ClassificationsSculpture

Credit LineGift of Reginald and Celeste Hodges

Object number2019.13.12

On View

On view

Label TextThis exceptionally carved stool was commissioned from the celebrated artist Foday Brima, who soon after received a prestigious award from the Guinean government in recognition of his artistic individuality. Note the thick, expressive eyebrows, which are iconic to his style.

Seated with backs together and sharing one stool, these figures exhibit both Mende and European ideals. Downcast eyes, ringed necks, lobed hairstyles, and demure mouths appeal to Mende aesthetics, whereas ties, English-style hats, and shorts speak to European ones. Balanced and in harmony, they offer commentary on traditional art and fashionable attire while probing the realities of colonial impact and creative absorption of foreign influence.
ProvenanceCommissioned in Koribondu, Jaiama Bongor Chiefdom, Bo District, Sierra Leone, early 1970s, Reginald Hodges, Durham, NC; given to NCMA, 2019.
Exhibition HistoryRaleigh, NC, North Carolina Museum of Art, "The People's Collection, Reimagined," October 7, 2022–present. Object Rights Statement

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