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Description

A Mende Mask, "soweï"

Mask, "soweï" Mende, Sierra Leone Ohne Sockel / without base Wood, raffia. H 28 cm. Provenance: - English private collection. - Sotheby & Co, London, 27.06.1960, lot 84. - Romy Rey, Zürich. - 1970: Gérald Minkoff (1937-2009) and Muriel Olesen (1948-2020), Geneva. Described at Sotheby's (London, 27.06.1960, lot 84) as follows: "A Mendi Bundu Secret Society Hood Mask, the hair arranged in three back-sweeping ridges, the mouth and eyes pierced, painted black with a small fiber cape, 12in., Sierra Leone" According to Sotheby's sales list for the above sale, the lot was sold to "Romyn" for £6, and according to a handwritten note by Gerald Minkoff, he acquired the mask in Zurich in 1970 ("Temne/ acquis Zürich 1970"). -------------------------------------------- Handwritten note by unknown regarding this mask: "Mende - Bundu: brought back in 1898 by English Missionary. Sotheby's 1962". -------------------------------------------- This sowei mask represents the legacy of the founder of the tribe and is directly linked to the water spirits worshipped in the area. It was danced exclusively by women from a higher order of the sande confederation. Originally, the graceful masked figure performed at ancestor celebrations, festive receptions, legal ceremonies and, above all, initiations. She prepared young girls for their later roles as wives and mothers and thus also exerted political influence. For the Mende, beauty manifests itself in its highest form in people and especially in women, whom they revere as the most magnificent beings in creation. All the attributes of the mask stand for positive qualities of the wearer, such as intelligence, bravery and honesty. The elaborate hairstyle stands for the discipline and status of the mask wearer. The shiny patina and the strong neck symbolize health and fertility, while the delicately designed face stands for beauty and harmony. Further reading: Gottschalk, Burkhard (1990). Bundu. Meerbusch: Verlag U. Gottschalk. -------------------------------------------- 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 3 000 / 6 000 Weight in grams: 1242 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.

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A Mende Mask, "soweï"

Estimate 3 000 - 6 000 CHF
Starting price 5 CHF

* Not including buyer’s premium.
Please read the conditions of sale for more information.

Sale fees: 26 %
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For sale on Saturday 29 Jun : 15:00 (CEST)
basel, Switzerland
Hammer Auktionen AG
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