Painting the Mysteries of the Great Unknown – Jain Artworks
Jainism is one of the oldest religions of the world, practiced predominantly in India. Its literature of doctrines and philosophy are as deep and mysterious as its history.…
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It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane! – Bundu Masks
The Bundu mask, created and danced by a secret society of Mende women in Sierra Leone, is a work of pure symbolism. Every feature represents the ideal characteristics…
What’s in Your Wallet? – African Iron Currencies
African currencies defy all western notions of money. They hold symbolic, prestigious and aesthetic values that paper currencies will never have. Crafted out of iron, they are shaped…
Re-inventing a Lost Art – Mata Ortiz Pottery
The story of Mata Ortiz pottery is one of rediscovery. Pottery was a lost art form when Juan Quezada found fragments of pre-Hispanic pots in the mountains and…
Believing IS Magic – Mossi Biiga Dolls
Young girls among the Mossi people of Burkina Faso carry dolls called biiga that they care for and treat like their own child. However, biiga are not only…
Simple Plate or Elaborate Collectible? – Sago Bowls
Sago bowls are ceramic dishes made by the Sawos people of Papua New Guinea. Though used as utilitarian bowls, these unique conical vessels also hold great artistic and…
Collectible Curiosities – Curio Cabinets
In earlier centuries, curiosity cabinets were rooms filled with objects of mystery and intrigue. Today they are collections of rare, uniquely presented collectibles. From elegant scientific contraptions to…
Beauty Re-envisioned – Repurposed Kuba Cloth
Kuba cloth are traditional woven textiles made by the people of the Kuba Kingdom in Central Africa. However, sometimes reaching over twenty feet in length these textiles are…
Heads Held High – Kebe Kebe Puppets
Kebe-kebe are hand-carved puppets crafted by the Kuyu people in Central Africa. They are danced at the end of initiation ceremonies that welcome boys and girls into adulthood…
Whispers of a Woven Language – Kente Cloth
Kente is a traditional Ghanaian cloth worn during important ceremonies and festivals. Its colorful shapes and patterns form a unique visual language deeply rooted in the Ashanti culture