3 Lamellaphones

3 lamellophones Zaramo, Kwere, Zela, Tabwa, Chokwe, DR Congo Mit einem Sockel / with one base Wood, iron. H 18,5 - 23 cm. Provenance: Gérald Minkoff (1937-2009) and Muriel Olesen (1948-2020), Geneva. On the left: Zaramo / Kwere, "mucapata" (Tanzania). Center: Janus head, Luba/Zela/Tabwa, "kankobele" (DR Congo). Right: Chokwe, "tyitanzi" (Angola). ----------------------------------------------------- The African sanza, also known as the "thumb piano", belongs to the group of lamellophones. It consists of a board or resonance box to which metal strips are attached, which the musician sets vibrating to produce sounds. Sanza seem to have appeared twice in Africa, once on the west coast about 3000 years ago (with lamellae made of bamboo or wood), and a second time in the Zambezi Valley about 1300 years ago (with lamellae made of metal). These charming small instruments can still be found today in large parts of Central and East Africa (DR Congo, Angola, Zambia, Tanzania, etc.). Due to their low volume, the mostly lovingly designed instruments are played at intimate events rather than on large occasions. Further reading: Borel, François (1986). Collections d'instruments de musique. Les Sanza. Neuchâtel: Musée d'ethnographie. ----------------------------------------------------- Gérald Minkoff and Muriel Olesen Muriel Minkoff-Olesen (1948- 2020) completed her training at the School of Design in Geneva. Gérald Minkoff (1937-2009) was a trained anthropologist and biologist. Both achieved fame as artists and from their meeting in 1967, the emblematic couple of contemporary art were inseparable. The travel-loving Olesen-Minkoff duo explored life like curious nomads, roaming the globe from Africa to Asia, Oceania, America and Patagonia. As artists and experienced collectors of contemporary art, they understandably had a keen sensitivity to the aesthetics and concepts of non-European art. The couple's Geneva apartment, perhaps their most beautiful joint work, thus became a place where the works of close friends such as Daniel Spoerri, Arman and Man Ray, as well as their own photographs, lived together with almost a thousand objects from Africa, Oceania, Asia and South America. CHF 200 / 400 Condition: The condition (wear, eventual cracks, tear, other imperfections and the effects of aging etc. if applicable) of this lot is as visible on the multiple photos we have uploaded for your documentation. Please feel free to contact Hammer Auktionen for all questions you might have regarding this lot ([email protected]). Any condition statement given, as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Hammer Auctions shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. In the rare event that the item did not conform to the lot description in the sale, Hammer Auktionen is here to help. Buyers may return the item for a full refund provided you notify Hammer Auktionen within 5 days of receiving the item. -------------------------------------------- The condition (possible wear, signs of use, cracks, possible other damage and signs of age, etc.) of this lot can be seen in the photos we have uploaded for your documentation. If you have any questions about this item, please do not hesitate to contact Hammer Auctions ([email protected]). The information regarding the condition of the items provided for the convenience of interested parties is an opinion only and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Hammer Auctions accepts no responsibility for any errors or omissions. In the rare event that the item does not match the description in the catalog, Hammer Auctions is here to help. Buyers may return the lot for a full refund provided they notify Hammer Auctions within 5 days of receiving the lot.