There are collectors who acquire. And there are those who live with objects for a long time before letting them go. Not long ago, an anthropologist came to see a Dogon figure. He didn’t come alone. He came with his wife, and they spent time with the piece — quietly, without deciding. Nothing happened that day. Which, in hindsight, was… Read More »An Exchange Between Two Ways of Looking
Chibinda Ilunga figure, Chokwe, Angola — Museum RietbergThis article is based on a recent newsletter I sent to collectors. Over the years, I’ve noticed that most collectors are not lacking interest — they are lacking orientation. Where do you look? What do you trust? And how do you train your eye? In this guide, I share three practical directions… Read More »How to Train Your Eye in African Art: 3 Practical Tips for Collectors
This guide for collectors and enthusiasts reflects how I personally use museum collections as a collector and dealer to evaluate and understand African art. It is illustrated with a selection of objects that have particularly caught my eye. Over the years, many collectors have asked me how to distinguish genuine African art from purely decorative pieces. In essence, it comes… Read More »Museums Databases with Important African Art Collections
Traditional African art is one of the most powerful artistic traditions in the world. Across hundreds of cultures and thousands of communities, artists created masks, sculptures, and ritual objects that served social, spiritual, and political purposes. Unlike modern decorative art, authentic African art was created to function inside living traditions. Masks danced in ceremonies, figures protected villages, and ritual objects… Read More »Authentic African Art: Masks, Figures and Ritual Objects for Collectors
Most people think they understand what “Kuba” means. A tribe. A style. A familiar category. But that’s usually where the misunderstanding begins. What we call the Kuba is not a single people in the usual sense. It is a kingdom — or more precisely, the result of one. Nearly twenty different groups, brought together and held within a structure that… Read More »The Kuba Are Not What You Think
A short tale inspired by the Yoruba tradition of the horse rider — a symbol of leadership, prestige and authority in West African art. Photo collage: Yoruba horseman in the Osun Sacred Grove, Arch of the Flying Tortoise. Landscape photograph by Adolphus Opara. Horseman sculpture photographed by David Norden. A long time ago, when the kingdoms of the Yoruba were… Read More »The Yoruba Horseman: A Legend of the Rider
A Curious Visitor Some people enter quickly, almost by accident. The door opens, and they pause — just long enough to understand that this is not a normal shop. There are many objects. Faces, figures, quiet presences watching from shelves and walls. Some visitors step back for a moment, unsure where to look first. I usually let that moment breathe.… Read More »A Curious Visitor