goSmithsonian - February 2009 - (Page 56) THE BASICS HOURS: 10 to 5:30; closed December 25. ADDRESS: 950 Independence Ave., SW PHONE: 202.633.1000 (voice/tape) 202.633.5285 (TTY) WEB: africa.si.edu gosmithsonian.com METRO: National Museum of African Art The National Museum of African Art, home to the largest publicly held collection of contemporary African art in the United States, also holds the famous Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection of more than 525 pieces of the finest traditional African sculpture. A selection from that collection is on view in “African Vision,” through March 22. The See the contemporary art exhibit three-level underground muse- “Artists in Dialogue” on Level 1. um features collections drawn from many of Africa’s more than 900 cultures, and includes figurative sculptures, masks, textiles, household objects, architectural elements, decorative arts and musical instruments. M metro ● ● Smithsonian (ORANGE AND BLUE LINES) ® HIGHLIGHTS: MOST RARE:A 13th-century to 15th-century equestrian figure (left), with precisely rendered adornment and weaponry, is located on Level 1 adjacent to the main staircase. Made of fired clay, it is from Mali’s Inland Niger Delta region, an early urban center that produced some of the finest terra-cotta sculptures in sub-Saharan Africa. MOST SINGULAR: A male figure from Cameroon (right), located on Level 1 near the stairs, is a splendid example of beaded sculpture created for the Bamum royal court. The life-size wooden sculpture is encased with glass beads attached to a fabric base. A thin overlay of brass covers the face, the back of the head, the hands and the feet. MOST SURPRISING: Check out the museum’s “Artists in Dialogue” contemporary art exhibition, located in the Sylvia H. Williams Gallery on Level 1, featuring exciting and thought-provoking works by contemporary multimedia artists António Ole of Angola and Aimé Mpane (above, Congo, Shadow of the Shadow, 2006) of the Democratic Republic of Congo. EXHIBITIONS: “Mami W Arts for W Spirits in Africa and Its ata: ater Diaspora” (opens April 1), organized by the Fowler Museum at UCLA, presents a fascinating array of traditional and contemporary sculptures, paintings and votive objects This figure dedicated to the alluring mer- stands more maid-like spirit (Level 2). than 5 feet tall. The museum’s collection includes this very rare ceramic equestrian figure, which dates from the 13th to 15th century. 56 goSmithsonian.com SKOTO GALLERY; FRANKO KHOURY (2) http://africa.si.edu http://www.gosmithsonian.com http://www.goSmithsonian.com
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