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MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot)

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot)

@miaafricaamericas.bsky.social

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Sharing artworks from the Minneapolis Institute of Art's Art of Africa and the Americas department. Not associated with the Minneapolis Art Institute. Automated thanks to @andreitr.bsky.social and @botfrens.bsky.social

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MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 7h

Bracelet https://collections.artsmia.org/art/26595/

Hammered silver band with stamped design; set with single green turquoise, square (stone has gouges). J.#271, Cat.#8.

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 9h

Ocarina https://collections.artsmia.org/art/9055/

Four Note Whistle in the form of a stylized frog; two bottom suspension holes; incised linear designs on back burnished red slip, reduction fired

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 12h

Prestige Battle Axe https://collections.artsmia.org/art/5276/

figure with three bands of beads around neck; blade through chest, wide edge in front

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 13h

Pair of Figures https://collections.artsmia.org/art/55416/

pair of figures seated next to each other; wide bodies and necks; very large lips; figure on R has 2 topknots

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 16h

Staff https://collections.artsmia.org/art/30863/

Seated figure attached to center of shaft, resting its toes on a platform; top metal section has threaded end

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 1d

Vessel https://collections.artsmia.org/art/89121/

very small foot flaring to narrow, steep shoulder; wide mouth; cream body decorated with red and brown; 2 organic medallions alternate with pairs of deer and geometric patterns; geometric band on shoulder
In the early 1800s, the A'shiwi (Zuni) began to paint life forms on their pottery, such as highly abstracted birds. Several decades later, more naturalistic renderings became common. A typical late 19th century A'shiwi olla would often be enclosed by a series of two or three horizontal bands of differing widths and would be interrupted by a rosette and also sometimes a deer. As in this example, the deer have a red "heart line," which runs down from the mouth and ends in an arrow shape at the heart. Based on a traditional A'shiwi story, the line may represent the animal's sacred breath of life.

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 1d

Ceremonial Tzute https://collections.artsmia.org/art/98102/

orange cotton ceremonial "banner"; inscription reads, "Recoerdo de Eulogio Tocay 1er Mayordomo de la Virgen Mario Rosario Octobre 7 de 1967"; four rows of multicolor facsimile of fauna and flora; green selvedge on sides

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 1d

Yoruba Boy's trousers https://collections.artsmia.org/art/25458/

strip woven, cotton

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 1d

Bandolier Bag https://collections.artsmia.org/art/33688/

bag with wide shoulder strap with beaded geometric designs; back of strap and interior of bag printed brown fabric; front panel of bag beaded with geometric shapes; top panel and back of bag red wool; 17 short beaded hanging tails with red wool tassels; body of bag trimmed in blue
The designs on this bandolier bag reference important elements in traditional Anishinabe life. The repeating geometric floral patterns, shown on the central panel and strap, refer to the natural environment that the Anishinabe depend on. The beaded design that can be found on the outside of the central beaded panel refers to the otter, who plays an important role in Anishinabe stories and clan system. The series of diamonds followed by straight lines, then diamonds, refer to the otter tracks. The diamonds symbolize footprints, and the straight lines are the otter's tail. This bandolier bag is a testimony of Anishinabe artistic skill and creativity.

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 1d

Moccasins https://collections.artsmia.org/art/4306/

Moccasins

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 2d

Ceremonial dancing skirt https://collections.artsmia.org/art/114636/

six panel skirt covered with cowrie shells; panels joined at top for approximately 8" below waist band; below that not joined; two rows shells edge each side of each panel; base fabric greenish tan; waist band 2" wide with 4 rows of shells along length; ties attached at ends

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 2d

Goldweight [Lost Wax Beetle] https://collections.artsmia.org/art/27216/

Beetle without legs. Triangular shaped head

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 2d

Box https://collections.artsmia.org/art/5881/

Rectangular box; sits on runners created by extended short sides; nonfunctional metal lock mechanism on front; hinged lid; decorated with incised diamonds and horizontal lines on front and incised bars with vertical stripes on sides; painted black and red

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 2d

Spindle Whorl, one of sixteen https://collections.artsmia.org/art/83855/

incised with various decorations; each has a hole through center; all strung together

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 2d

Goldweight [Figure Carrying an Axe] https://collections.artsmia.org/art/30127/

Goldweight [Figure Carrying an Axe]

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 3d

Shawl or head cover https://collections.artsmia.org/art/105989/

black fringed shawl; triangular shape; black fringe on two edges; wide band of cross stitch embroidery in reds with blue and yellow accents along fringed edges; four cross-shaped motifs in center area of shawl

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 3d

Basket https://collections.artsmia.org/art/4436/

3 radiating lines from center, like cornstalk

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 3d

Turtle pendant and neck collar https://collections.artsmia.org/art/124438/

pendant: in the form of a turtle; double-sided; top has coral and turquoise eyes; red coral square at tip of tail; turquoise, lapis and coral beads at points of starburst on shell, with coral gem at center; back has green and black inlaid eyes; red coral square at tip of tail; flat shell on back is inlay in geometric design with dark blue ground with circles, lines and tapering bars in various colors of gemstones; neck collar: curved design, open at back; asymmetrical decoration with hand and arrowhead connected with a zigzag at PR, with inlaid tiny round gems around zigzag; two stepped triangles right of center with turquoise and coral round inlay; hand with predominately blue inlays connected to zigzag at PL near back; ends of collar have inlays--opal on PR, various gems on PL with lines and circles

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 3d

Skirt for a Married Woman https://collections.artsmia.org/art/24939/

mudcloth skirt; design type: Mari or mari dunan (crocodile)

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 3d

Equestrian Figure https://collections.artsmia.org/art/4835/

stylized horse and rider

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 4d

Stirrup spout vessel https://collections.artsmia.org/art/20939/

stirrup vessel with warrior motif painted on each side, polychromed earthenware, Peru, Moche no dims. on cat. cards; 200BC-700AD

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 4d

Bracelet, one of a pair https://collections.artsmia.org/art/29937/

silver bracelet, outer edge adorned by circular red studs alternating with inlaid yellow and green petal floral medallions on a scroll-worked field

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 4d

Beaded Bag https://collections.artsmia.org/art/4575/

Beaded Bag

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 4d

Ikenga Figure https://collections.artsmia.org/art/125326/

standing stylized figure with pointed beard; triangular-shaped ears; pair of very tall horns with spirals at top; face has deeply-incised geometric patterns--without facial features; deeply carved oval element with horizontal band on chest; figure wears short skirt-like garment; figure stands on round platform with four curving legs and one vertical central leg; some possible scattered bits of red and white pigments
Ikenga, or “place of strength,” is the Nigerian Igbo name for a type of figure that is made in an astounding variety of sizes and shapes. The five examples on display here share one common trait: each sculpture possesses a pair of stylized horns on its head, a reference to the ram’s force and stubbornness. Used as a personal altar, an ikenga is a source of power, aggression, and achievement for the man who owns it. In Igbo society individual success and upward mobility are highly desirable. Before any major undertaking, like enrolling at a university, clinching a business deal, or participating in an election, the owner would address it with prayers and offerings of food and kola nuts. Two of the five ikenga show remarkable similarities and are undoubtedly made by the same workshop, if not the same (unidentified) artist. One of them stands on a stool to give it extra height and, therefore, authority. The smallest ikenga holds what seems to be a pipe or a horn; the tallest consists of a series of vertically stacked geometric shapes, including a stool form with two small freestanding ikenga figures standing on it. The fiercest of the set is a complex sculpture of two seated figures arranged one on top of the other. The upper figure holds in both hands an upside-down trophy head, alluding to the past practice of keeping the severed head of a vanquished enemy as a source of power.

MIA: Art of Africa and the Americas (Bot) @miaafricaamericas.bsky.social · 4d

Ore mi Pe https://collections.artsmia.org/art/101919/

two panels sewn together and hemmed on two sides; indigo with light blue repeating block designs in two motifs with bird and flower forms, with crosshatching; starch resist