When God Lived in Ife
Mention great artistic traditions, and you'll perhaps
think of Greece, or China, and certainly Italy. You might not think of Nigeria.
The Medici did, however, and at one point managed to obtain several delicate
ivories made by the artisans of Ife, one of the most important Sub-Saharan
cities of the time. Nothing larger, however, and they must have wondered at
what else the artists were doing. They'd have been amazed, and Benvenuto
Cellini would likely have been impressed as well, because the city boasted
extraordinary sculptors for whom bronze held few if any secrets, and the heads
they cast radiate a spellbinding mixture of calm serenity and poise.
Mastery of this sort doesn't just suddenly appear, of course, and neither does artistic expression, and the organizers of the Dio Abitava a Ife show have assembled an extraordinary collection of artworks that span a period of almost 2000 years, beginning with artifacts made in Nok in the 5th-6th centuries BC, followed by those of Igbo-Ukwi, which flourished during the European Middle Ages, and then those of Ife and Benin, which were among Africa's most powerful city states until the arrival of the Europeans plunged the Continent into a period of darkness from which it has yet to emerge.
Getting down to specifics, the earliest pieces are terracottas from
Nok, which may be coeval with the Etruscans, but have a surprisingly modern
feel to them. The bronzes are more recent, ranging from the IX to the XIX
centuries and span several city states; the pieces include stylized heads and
sculptures of royalty, a pair of beautiful bronze cheetahs, and a number of bas
reliefs, including one showing a Portuguese aiming his rifle. In addition to
the sculptures there are photographs of the artworks by the great 19th century
photographer Herbert List, and if you're interested in photography they add
greatly to the value of the show.
The show is all the more important because all of the pieces were
released from the vaults of Nigerian museums, where they have been kept since
the early 80s, safe from the unrest that besets the country. In other words,
this is the sort of opportunity that may not come again; while it is true that
in July the show will continue on to Monte Carlo, where it will be the
centerpiece of a major show of contemporary African art, it's also true that in
Monte Carlo the pieces will be surrounded by hundreds of others. Here they have
the space to themselves, with nothing else to vie for their attention.
Practical things:
- Quando Dio Abitava a Ife: A collection of about 50 Nigerian terracotta and bronze sculptures dating from the Vth century BC to the XIX century AD
- Where? Florence's Palazzo Strozzi (Piazza Strozzi), and daily 10-8, through July 3, 2005
- Admission: 8 Euros, or 6.50 for students.
- For further information, see http://www.anticanigeria.it (In Italian, alas).