#agbogho

[jordiruizcentelles]

Qué representa Agbogho Mmwo Cap. XIX#igbo #igboculture #nigeria #antropologia #antropologiasocial

[bulkbinbox]

agbogho mmuo, igbo

[afriupdatenews]

West African Ancestral Cults Shows The Belief In Life After Death

West African Ancestral Cults Shows The Belief In Life After Death

Egungun | Photo Omenka Online

Every society has a belief in something belief in life, belief in death a belief in life after death. These beliefs are instrumental components of culture, and they influence the disposition of a community/people. These principles could be said to be a way to understanding “death” a phenomenon that has since plagued every man and seems unfathomable. It is also a way…

[lionofchaeronea]

Maiden spirit mask (agbogho mmuo) of the Nitsha culture, Nigeria. Artist unknown; 19th century. Now in the Brooklyn Museum. Photo credit: Brooklyn Museum.

[aic-african]

Face Mask (Agbogho Mmuo), Igbo, 1900, Art Institute of Chicago: Arts of Africa

African and Amerindian Art Purchase Fund Size: H. 40.7 cm (16 in.) Medium: Wood, fabric, and pigment

https://www.artic.edu/artworks/40197/

[igbobinna]

¶Efuru Flowers grow on her shoulders I planted the roots in her heart. She knows . . . . #igbobinna #nsukaseries #igbo #art #uli #Nsibidi #storytelling #vintage #brushpen #lineart #drawing #contemporaryart #igbo #nsukka #minimalism #africanart #igboart #folktales #stories #africantattoo #Nsukkaschool #flowers #agbogho #chief #linear https://www.instagram.com/p/CgcHkudDzWG/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[slam-african]

Mask (agbogho mmwo), Unidentified Igbo artist, 20th century, Saint Louis Art Museum: Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

https://www.slam.org/collection/objects/8574/

[bm-african-art]

Maiden Spirit Mask (Agbogho Mmuo), 19th century, Brooklyn Museum: Arts of Africa

Carved wooden face mask , painted. Elaborate headdress with geometric decoration of spirals, parallel lines and circular discs in relief as well as incised lines. Two "combs" are represented, standing up on each side of the headress. The face is long and pointed and has small open eyes and eyebrows, long sharp nose, open mouth with teeth showing. There is a curved line cut through the mask at each side of the mouth. Characteristically Ibo are the scarification marks (in relief) on the forehead and at the side of the face between each ear and eye. A row of small holes perforates the edge of the mask. There are traces of white paint. CONDITION: Paint wearing off. Size: 16 1/2 x 7 1/4 x 11 in. (41.9 x 18.4 x 27.9 cm) Medium: Wood, cloth, fiber

https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/141136

[iobjectfa20]

Ugala Masquerade IOBJECT

Ben Enwonwu

Ugala Masquerade 1940

Medium: Watercolor

Dimensions: 38 by 27.5 cm., 15 by 10¾in.

Private collection

© Courtesy the Ben Enwonwu Foundation

Explanation

Ben Enwonwu is an extremely talented African artist, who paved the way for many Nigerian artists. His painting “Ugala Masquerade” was sold in May of 2017 by Sotheby's, a multinational auction company. It is unknown where this painting currently resides today. In 2017 and 2019, the painting was shown in a group show “Playing Mas” by Vigo Gallery in London.

I chose this painting because I have always liked African art and was always moved by Ben Enwonwu and his pieces. He has a lot of meaningful pieces in regards to colonialism. I’m very passionate about art and colonialism. When I saw “Ugala Masquerade,” I knew that I had to do this piece because it caught my attention. The masks, the trees, the bow and arrows, and the colors  made me want to know more about the context and background of the painting. Enwonwu focuses on colonialism and Nigerian Modernism. Art in the form of Modernism specifically Black modernism  has always been something I was interested in. For an example, Jacob Lawrence and his series about the Great Migration up north caught my eye when I took a course on African American Art. His piece “In the North the Negro had better educational facilities” from his series “The Migration of the Negro” is one that caught my eye when I visited Th Museum of Modem Art in New York. Pictured in the piece are three African American girls who are writing the number two, three, and four on a chalkboard. I thought that this was so interesting because as a Black woman, I've always valued education. If i didn’t have the education I have now, I don’t think i would be as well off as I am. Black struggle is real and it’s something that I never want to face. Knowing that Lawrence talked about girls and education made my heart warm because girls are always devalued. On another note, education for  black students during the reconstruction period was 5 times lower than it was for white students. However, in the North, schools were still segregated, but there was more technology and educators for black students than in the south. Students were also supported more because some white educators saw brightness in their black students.

Drawing back to the original piece, I think that it's interesting for Enwonwu to capture the masks in his piece because the meaning behind masks are usually for people to not be seen. Often, we portray Africans as people who have face makeup and wear tree fabric as clothing. Enwonwu was clever to create this piece to try to decolonize and move away from stereotypes. I personally am glad that he chose to do this because black individuals already have to deal with enough. It’s refreshing to see that an African artist  broke down barriers and paved the way for other black artists. Overall, I'm intrigued by Enwonwu’s decolonization paintings as a whole . In some way, all of the pieces are connected and that's where he also caught my attention.

Original Context and Reframing Resistance

As previously noted, “Ugala Masquerade” was created to talk about colonialism, politics and the anticolonial struggle. Enwonwu wanted his viewers and artists to see and analyze the connection between colonialism and modernism within Nigerian art. He was inspired by his art tutor Kenneth Murray. Kenneth Murray(British artist)  focused on the aspect of indigeneity . His piece “Ibo Musicians and Dancers” Ibo (Nigerian) people dancing and playing instruments on a road guarded by a fence and trees. The Ibo people are wearing indigenous related garments and jewelry. Being under Murray’s wing, Enwonwu sort of took after his style. However, he later realized that he had outgrown his tutor and went into a different direction for his art pieces. He had two phases that categorized his work. The first phase was one, which included epistemology and disobedience during 1937 and 1956.During this phase, viewers were able to see Igbo as symbolism and then his studies of European art . His second phase was mainly focused on pan-Africanism. He used houses, trees, and masquerades as a way to talk about colonialism. Since he moved to European art, he used western figures in combination with Igbo culture. His painting “Agbogho Mmuo” from 1949 solidifies this change. This painting shows a figure in masquerade garments but more so shows the spirits within it. It's important to note that during this time, British people were very dismissive of spirits when it came to art. They thought that they were karmic and harmful.  Enwonwu moves further away from Murray’s style by focusing more on the true African figures and their spirits. He was aware of the dismissive language as well as the institutionalization of colonialism.

It’s important to note that Enwonwu went on a different approach to things unlike Afro Caribbean author Frantz Fanon. Fanon believed that you should analyze the system. Enwonwu on the other hand was more focused on showing how his privilege as an African artist resisted colonialism and colonization. I think that Enwonwu can relate to Gayatri Spivak and her “Can the Subaltern Speak?” book. The subaltern is an indigenous man or woman without agency. Enwonwu’s pieces depict people who don't have agency. In the Ugala Masquerade,” he is showing that the figures in the painting don’t have much agency and that they’re restricted to their villages. Gayatri Spivak states that white people are always trying to save brown individuals. If you take a further look into Enwonwu’s piece you can see that there are eyeballs within the bells on the figures' waists. I think what Enwonwu is saying is that he sees what is happening in the world of art and wants viewers to know that as well. No matter what, people are going to be aware of the difference in the way art is portrayed for African artists.  When I see this piece, I also think about Chinua Achebe’s  book “All Things Fall Apart "and it’s cover. Achebe has many book cover versions, but one stands out the most. The cover includes trees, a village,  a masquerade figure, black men, a colonizer and of course a woman hidden in the back. Achebe and Gayatri Spivak have similar portrayals of women in certain countries and or societies. Women are often seen as weaker than men but because they bear children, they are to be worshiped and protected.

.

In the beginning, I was  intrigued to see that in Enwonwu’s piece, you cannot tell whether the figures in masquerade garments are men or women. This is important because gender roles are huge within the Nigerian and Igbo population. However, the more I look into the image, I see that one masquerade figure is turned with their backs, while the others are faced forward. It made me wonder if in fact this photo does include gender roles. Could it be that the one with the back turned is in fact a woman being protected by men? There needs to be a better explanation for this. It also makes me think that the eyes in the bells are a way of saying that Enwonwu sees that this is the normal in the Igbo community and is bringing this to light. I also see that they are carrying bow and arrows -- I think this could be symbolic  of trying to fight for the acknowledgement and respect  that they should already be getting. As recently mentioned his mentor and tutor was focused on the indigenous figures, but here in this piece I believe he’s telling us that these figures are going to stick together and cannot be silenced or unseen. His other masquerade piece moves more towards the actual African spirits and African masquerades.

By resisting the idea of indigenous people being limited,  I was able to see that Enwonwu is trying to show us that he saw how his mentor didn’t appreciate either  African cultural background or the indigenous cultural background. Enwonwu refused to make gender a role in the painting because in fact he knows that this issue is often pushed to the back of people's minds. Looking at the maturation of his pieces, you see his appreciation for African figures and masquerades. He develops the full picture of what African Masquerades incorporate.

Further looking into the meaning of the word “Ugala” it is said to be something of higher education and or theatre. It could also be that Enwonwu is saying that people with education need to wake up and see African art for what it is -- beautiful and just as good as white art. The figure turning around could signify how many still turn a blind eye to the lack of acknowledgement and appreciation for African art styles  over European art styles. The other figures might be skeptical or maybe even sure  about combating the issues within the art world. Enwonwu being one of the most influential African artists has created these pieces in order to awaken the lack of agency for many individuals. His resistance to colonization through the use of his own privilege was brilliant.

[jordiruizcentelles]

Significado de Agbogho Mmwo para los  Igbo Cap.XVIII#igbo #nigeria #Biafra #africa #antropologiasocial #antropologia

[ukpuru]

Ben Enwonwu (1921–1994), Ogolo, 1988, oil on canvas, 73 x 53 cm.

[bulkbinbox]

agbogho mmuo, igbo

[shotbyugo]

Ancient Igbo Renaissance Art, Based On The Magnum Opus Of UGO SIRIUS ART. IGBO X AXIS MUNDI Is The Art Films Based On The Cosmic Alchemy Of Ancient Igbo. Featuring Various Gods And Goddesses Of The Igbo Cosmology. NNECHUKWU, NNEMCHUKWU, ELE, AMADIOHA, ALA, IKENGA, AHA NJIOKU, NNE ELE, AHOBINAGU, NNE OMA, ISI MMIRI, NNE MMIRI, EKE-IDEMILI, NNE-ATU, NNE-ETE, EKWENSU, ANYANWU, OMA, ONWA, NNE-NRI, OGBUNABALI, NNE-OSHIMIRI, ANA-EDO, AGBOGHO-MMUO, NOONO-IGBO, NNE-AGWU, NNE-ONU, EKE, ORIE, AFO, NKWO, CHUKWU-EKE, CHUKWU-ORIE, CHUKWU-AFO, CHUKWU-NKWO, NNE-CHI, OGBUIDE, AJA-ANA, EZENWANYI-NWE-MMIRI, AGU NNEM, AGWU ISHI OHA, CHINEKE, OMA NA CHI, OMANACHI, EKENACHI, KOMOSU, UDO, OBINAGU, AKA ETE, NNEONO, AKA-MA-ETE, AKAMAETE, EZENWANYI, EZENWOKE, EZENWA, OGWUGWU, NGWU, ALAWUALA, ATU CHUKWU, ATU OMA, NNE ATU ORA, EZE IYI ENU, ISI-AJATA, NNE AKU, OMA AKU, ANA, ANI, NNE UWA, NNE ORA, ODI OBALA, OSE OBALA, OBALA, OGBOLODO, OGBORODO, OSE-OTULE, EZE ANYA OFU, AKA OFU, IGBUDU, AGWU ISI ORA, ELEBUIGBO, ELEBUCHI, ELE. The Ancient Igbo Science Unveils To Us That Our Ancestors Pin Pointed IGBOland As The Center Of The Earth. And Aswell, In The Pangaea Map, Igboland, (A Place Once Known As Biafra) Was The Center Of The Earth, Thus Making The Location To Be Axis Mundi, As Many Igbo-Ukwu Ancient Artifacts Unveils This To Be Facts. The Axis Mundi is a symbol representing the center of the world where the heaven (sky) connects with the earth. Different cultures represent the axis mundi by varied symbols such as a natural object (a mountain, a tree, a vine, a stalk, a column of smoke or fire) or of a product of human manufacture (a staff, a tower, a ladder, a staircase, a maypole, a cross, a steeple, a rope, a totem pole, a pillar, a spire). Its proximity to heaven may carry implications that are chiefly religious (pagoda, temple mount, church) or secular (obelisk, minaret, lighthouse, rocket, skyscraper). Additionally, the axis mundi may be feminine (an umbilical providing nourishment), masculine (a phallus providing insemination into a uterus), or neither (e.g the omphalos (navel).

[lionofchaeronea]

Helmet mask (agbogho mwo) of the Igbo people, southeast Nigeria.  Now in the Musée des Confluences, Lyon. France.  Photo credit: Ismoon/Wikimedia Commons.   

[aic-african]

Face Mask (Agbogho Mmuo), Igbo, 1900, Art Institute of Chicago: Arts of Africa

African and Amerindian Art Purchase Fund Size: H. 40.7 cm (16 in.) Medium: Wood, fabric, and pigment

https://www.artic.edu/artworks/40197/