The Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University featured various artworks from different parts of the world. In the African Arts exhibit, one piece emerged distinct from the works surrounding it. The 20th century cloth and bead Chief’s coronet (orikogbofo) created by a Yoruba artist in Nigeria is visually balanced, is both aesthetically and historically intriguing, and is intricately created. In the Oceania Islands of the South Pacific exhibit, the 17th century bronze Drum from Burma (now Myanmar) stood solitary, highlighted on a plinth stage. From a distance, the artifact appeared gloriously displayed for such a simple sculpture. However, upon closer examination, the magnificent and elaborate details far surpassed the presentation. These two sculptural artifacts, the Chief’s coronet (orikogbofo) of Nigeria and the Drum from Burma, may initially appear to be unrelated. Both are from different centuries, from separate cultures of independent parts of the world, in dissimilar forms. Despite these contrasts, the two are comparable. Both are works of art used in tradition as forms of communication between the living domain with the spiritual realm, and both artworks also depict imagery intensely inspired by nature.
The Chief’s coronet (orikogbofo) displays complex beadwork highlighting the advanced skill of the Yoruba artist. The medium choice of cloth and beads is highly symbolic within this culture. The beads are representative of the divine nature of various spirits, or orisa, in West African cultures. This coronet of the Yoruba kingship would have been considered to be a gift from their orisa. The intricacies of beadwork are strung together and layered upon other strings to create elaborate imagery and sculptural figurines which emerge from the two-dimensional imagery. The leveled surface imagery as well as the sculptural statuettes display symbolic representations of nature. The two-dimensional depictions illustrate the flora of Nigeria. Four motifs of flourishing blossoms are spread evenly around the base. As the base moves upwards into the crest of the coronet, the adjoining flowers create triangular quadrants that depict plant-like motifs characterized by the stem or branch with lush protruding leaves. The sculptural figures which emerge from the sides of these plants or branches and from the top to the coronet are birds. The okin are a symbolically representational motif of royal birds in the Nigerian culture. These symbols of nature and their impacted significant meanings complement the intent of the artist and the artwork to be a communicative device between the living world with the spiritual realm. The visual portrayal of the okin communicate the sanctity of the ruler’s, or the Oba’s, head. This representation also symbolizes the role the Oba has as an intermediary between the people and the deities. The Chief’s coronet (orikogbofo) uses the symbolism of nature-based imagery to emphasize its purpose as a communication device between the worldly life and the divine spiritual realm. The 17th century bronze Drum is one of the longest and oldest practiced traditions of Southeast Asia. This tradition has persisted for over nine centuries. As an instrument of music and symbol for dance, the Drum was one of many that would have been suspended by the handles, tied to tree limbs and played above the ground thus allowing the musical humming and beats to fulsomely resonate. This artifact simultaneously acted as a catalyst in the communication between deities and ancestors of the spiritual realm with the people of the living world as well as preserved cultural knowledge through symbols. People of Burma (Myanmar) used drums and other musical instruments as facilitators when summoning ancestors or spirits for various reasons, including requests for heavy rainfall. The location of Burma (Myanmar) is off the coast of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. This adjacent proximity to water would have influenced the native people’s cultural beliefs. As the combination of water and earth provide the ideal conditions for agriculture and fishing, thus nourishing the people , the artists would have seen the importance of this dualism within nature. The connection to both water and earth is displayed in the decorative motifs of the repeated sculptural reliefs of the coastal birds, herons , and the protruding four three-dimensional sculptures of amphibian frogs . The heron is depicted within the contrasting swirls of air, repeating arches of earth, and curving sea waves. The frogs are resting on the top of the drum, which gives the illusion of standing on solid earth, that is contrasted with the circular pattern echoing from the center of the drum as though the frogs are on a ripple of water. These two creatures, the heron and the frog, offer aquatic association of inspiration as they both require the source of water for living and are complementing the duality of nature as they are also land-dwelling creatures. The nature-inspired representation of the heron goes further in symbolic meaning on the Drum. As a bird able to fly, the heron acts as a bonding connection between earth and sky. This correlation thus emphasizes the form of communication between the people on Earth with the deities and ancestors of the spiritual realm. The bronze Drum displays a repetition of animals that represent dualities in nature between earth and water as well as earth and sky to emphasize through symbolic meaning the reverberation of music calling for communication between the earth-bound people and the divine spiritual realm. The Chief’s coronet (orikogbofo) of Nigeria and the Drum from Burma are, despite initial thoughts, comparable in physical features, in respective symbolic meanings, as well as in the aspect of traditional use as a form of communication. Both artworks feature motifs of non-human animals within nature. The symbolic meaning to the respective cultures of the significantly depicted flora and fauna motifs emphasize the intent of the artist to create a catalyst of communication between the living domain with the spiritual realm. |
About this PageThis page consists of analyses, interpretations, and translations for various artists, artworks, and art movements from my perspective. Explore the Archives for more. AuthorTessa Barretto Archives
September 2020
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