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Description

An Igbo Shrine Figure, "agbara"

Shrine figure, "agbara" Igbo, Nigeria, Imo State, Mbaise Region Mit Sockel / with base Wood. H 130 cm. Provenance: Gérald Minkoff (1937-2009) and Muriel Olesen (1948-2020), Geneva. Published: Hainard Jacques / Kaehr Roland (1991). Le Trou. Neuchâtel: MEN. Exhibited: Musée d'ethnographie de Neuchâtel, "Le Trou" (1991). Described by Gérald Minkoff in an essay in 1990 as follows: "6 Igbo (129.5 cm. 1982). Toi la grande Igbo magnétique qui sut attirer de si loin mon regard au milieu d'un fatras de bric et de broc un jour de marché aux puces à Genève et qui étais encore accompagnée d'une famille d'une dizaine de figurines et de masques de la grande qualité, since then you have been assigned a place near our bed where I have never stopped fixing your eyes, your eyes, la petite éminence de ton larynx, ta chevelure crêtée et festonnée, tes seins minuscules, ton ventre bombé, tes mains aux paumes tournées vers le haut, pour donner et pour recevoir, and your two jowls that don't end up going up to your cuisses, which are well-molded, with a few centimeters of hair and your two feet with the bouton arrondi de la malléole accentuating the adhesion. And I see the reddish anneals of your skin as if the wood from which you were extracted had not been able to grow even more than in the midst of these southern trees, which in Nigeria are called Biafra, you were previously considered a divinity, ou un ancêtre divinisé, mais tu en fus sortie un jour, dans les désastres de la guerre, séparée de l'alignement de tes proches, le long d'un des murs d'une maison dont il ne reste probablement plus trace." ----------------------------------------------------- The interplay of forces is of great importance in the world view of the Igbo everywhere. This movement is also reflected in their art, which takes on very lively and dynamic traits. This figure, called agbara (also alusi), represents the embodiment of a protective deity, which was kept in a shrine and ritually worshipped. Occasionally it was washed, dyed with redwood powder, ochre and kaolin and presented in public. During these ceremonies, people's relationships with the deities were strengthened through sacrifices (e.g. kola nuts, money or chalk) and the recitation of prayers of thanks and supplication for a rich harvest and prosperity. For the Igbo, beauty had a physical and moral dimension. The long neck, the fine nose, the decorative body painting and the elaborate hairstyle were considered ideals of beauty. This impressive figure with its sublime aura reveals precisely these attributes in exemplary fashion. Further reading: Cole, Herbert M. / Aniakor, Chike C. / Attah Alexander Okwudor / Jenkins, Della / Littlefield Kasfir, Sidney / Weston, Bonnie E. (1984). Igbo Arts. Community and Cosmos. Los Angeles: University of California ; Museum of Cultural History. -------------------------------------------- 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 4 000 / 8 000 Weight in grams: 9500 Condition: The condition (possible wear, signs of use, tears, possible other impairments and the 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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An Igbo Shrine Figure, "agbara"

Estimate 4 000 - 8 000 CHF
Starting price 5 CHF

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For sale on Saturday 29 Jun : 15:00 (CEST)
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