Latest Publications
L'Art d'être un homme
Afrique, Océanie
Spotlighting some truly exceptional works of art, this publication explores masculine identities in Africa and Oceania. Complementary essays by authors, ethnologists, anthropologists, art historians and writers deliver some fascinating insights into the role of male adornment in social relations.
“Collection of essays edited by Christiane Falgayrettes-Leveau and Anne van Cutsem-Vanderstraete”
Femmes
dans les arts d'Afrique
How are women depicted in the arts of Africa?
Intended for either ritual or everyday use, these artefacts are generally produced by men for practices for which they are responsible.
Many of them convey information relating not only to the appearance but also to the roles played by women in political, economic, social and religious life.
The works are equally suggestive of sensuality and fertility. Whether they are shown alone or carrying a child, the figures evoke the roles of wife, genitrix or mother, with motherhood constituting a major theme present in virtually every culture. Sometimes, the subjects recall the power exercised by certain women, ancestors, queen mothers, priestesses, etc.
Based on the writings of sociologists, ethnologists and art historians, and drawing on a rich iconography (works from prestigious public and private collections, works on the ground), this publication seeks to evoke the manifold nature of female depictions and explore the status of women.
The works produced in the societies of Subsaharan African, like those of Ancient Egypt, or then again the photographic work of the contemporary artist Angèle Etoundi Essamba, bring us face to face with worlds marked by the ambiguity of the relationship between men and women.
“Collection of essays edited by Christiane Falgayrettes-Leveau”
Contents
