Full Description
Art of the Cameroon Grasslands unveils the artistic creativity of a region of West Africa through the Weis Collection. With texts by Peter Weis and Bettina von Lintig, and a contribution by Michael Oehrl, the book is a comprehensive overview of Grasslands Art. In contrast to many other African regions, the works of the artists of the ethnic groups that live in the Grasslands are characterised by enormous diversity, dynamism, movement, asymmetry, power, and even unbridled wildness. Other works radiate tranquillity, offering the viewer uncommon visual pleasure and delight. For centuries, kingdoms and rulers in this region competed with each other to create new works of art or perfect inherited styles. These works served cultural, profane, and representational purposes, and they reflected the social and ruling structures of the Grasslands—aspects that the book's essays and descriptions explore in detail.
A broad spectrum of objects and their uses are reflected in the Weis Collection. It includes everyday objects, works of folk art, ritual, and cult objects such as magic or commemorative figures, masks, posts, palace doors, representational objects, musical instruments, tobacco pipes, and drinking horns. The introduction presents important aspects of the cultural and artistic development of each object's region of origin, also in the context of European colonization. All are illustrated with numerous field photographs. This is followed by an essay on beaded artworks from the Grasslands, a subject that has been little researched to date. As the Grasslands are embedded in a larger cultural area, objects in the collection from neighbouring ethnic groups are also presented, in many cases shedding light on centuries-old connections and artistic exchanges.
Contents
6 List of Abbreviations
7 Foreword
KarlFerdinand Schädler
8 Collector's Preface
Peter A. Weis
10 Acknowledgments
12 Notes on the Book's Structure and the Selection of Objects
14 The Visual Arts and Society in the Cameroonian Grasslands
Bettina von Lintig and Peter A. Weis
40 Glass Beads on the Artworks of the Cameroonian Grasslands
Michael Oehrl
53 The Collection Statues, Figures, and Ritual Posts
55 Grasslands Power Figures and Amulets
68 Bangwa
83 Bamileke and Bamum
104 The Northwest Region
111 Masks
116 Bangwa
130 Bamileke
154 Bamum and Tikar
172 The Northwest Grasslands
(Northwest Province)
210 Stools
214 Tobacco Pipes
246 Chiey Regalia and Insignia Calabashes, Fly Whisks, Dance Staffs, and Jewelry
266 Head Coverings and Bags
272 Musical Objects
290 Wooden and Clay Bowls and Receptacles
298 Clay Food Bowls
302 Drinking Horns
308 Other Regalia
316 Architectural Sculpture
332 The Grasslands and Their Surroundings
334 The Northern Regions
334 The Mambila
