The works in this exhibition are the products of artistic virtuosity and consummate skill. At the same time, they were created to fulfill specific purposes and roles in people’s lives. Their artistry and aesthetic presence were critical to their effectiveness. The outward appearance of an object—including its form and iconography—contributes to its ability to work, that is, its capacity to act. The beliefs and concepts that give objects power and meaning in turn dictate their aesthetic appearance. In other words, how art looks has much to do with how it works: form and function are closely intertwined.
Eharo mask
Elema peoples, Papuan Gulf, Papua New Guinea
Early 20th century
Barkcloth, plant fiber, wood, human hair, paint, feathers
X65.4344; Gift of the Wellcome Trust.
Object Name: Power figure (nkisi nkondi)
Artist: Unknown
Culture: Yombe peoples
Place of Origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Date/Era: 18th-19th century
Medium/Materials: Wood, metal, nails, mirrors, cloth, cordage, beads, cowrie shell
Dimensions: H: 114.3 cm
Credit Line: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of the Wellcome Trust.
Accession Number: X65.5837
Object Name: Mask
Artist: Unknown
Place of Origin: New Caledonia, Melanesia
Date/Era: 19th century
Dimensions: H: 188.00 cm, W: 55.00 cm, D: 25.50 cm
Medium/Materials: Wood, barkcloth, human hair, feathers, bamboo, cotton thread, plant fiber
Credit Line: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of the Wellcome Trust.
Accession Number: X65.7799
Object Name: Palace door-panels
Artist: Atelier of Areogun
Culture: Yoruba peoples
Place of Origin: Nigeria
Date/Era: Early to mid-20th century
Medium/Materials: Wood
Dimensions: H: 182 cm
Credit Line: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Museum purchase.
Accession Number: X69.66AB
Object Name: Man’s cloth (kente)
Artist: Unknown
Culture: Asante peoples
Place of Origin: Ghana
Date/Era: 1930s – 1940s
Medium/Materials: Rayon
Dimensions: 296 x 180 cm
Credit Line: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Anonymous Gift.
Accession Number: X86.1988
Object Name: Crown
Artist: José Rodriguez (b. 1956)
Place of Origin: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Culture: Yoruba peoples
Date/Era: 1997
Dimensions: W: 22.0 cm, D: 24.0 cm, H: 60.5 cm (W: 8.7 in, D: 9.4 in, H: 23.8 in)
Medium/Materials: Beads, thread, feathers, fabric, wood, shells
Credit Line: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Museum purchase, Commissioned by the Fowler Museum.
Accession Number: X95.5.1
Head cloth (kain tangkuluak)
Minangkabau peoples
Pariangan, West Sumatra Province, Indonesia, 19th century
Silk, gold-wrapped thread, ramie
X97.50.57; Gift of Anne and John Summerfield
Not currently on View in Intersections
Minangkabau peoples
Padang Magek, West Sumatra Province, Indonesia
19th century
Silk, gold-wrapped thread
L: 267.0 cm, W: 84.5 cm (L: 105.1 in, W: 33.3 in)
Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of Anne and John Summerfield. X97.50.69