Buraimoh Gbadamosi, born 1938, Nigeria Search this
Medium:
Stone
Dimensions:
H x W x D: 23 x 21.8 x 21.2 cm (9 1/16 x 8 9/16 x 8 3/8 in.)
Type:
Figure
Geography:
Nigeria
Date:
1960s
Label Text:
Buraimoh Gbadamosi was a skilled carpenter when his friend and neighbor, the expatriate artist and Oshun priestess Susanne Wenger, convinced him to try relief carving. He later carved wood in the round and eventually adapted his talents to stone, the medium for which he is best known.
Gbadamosi's figures are characterized by solid forms with round heads and large round eyes. A Muslim, Gbadamosi is also deeply involved in the egungun masquerade cult that honors Yoruba ancestors. The soft stone of this sculpture is sacred to Obatala, the Yoruba creator god.
Description:
A small, solid, columnar work with stylized arms and legs wrapped around the body and a round head, large, wide eyes and mouth turned upwards.
Provenance:
Allan L. Pitcher, Washington, D.C., 1970s to 2001
Exhibition History:
African Mosaic: Celebrating a Decade of Collecting, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 19, 2010-November 13, 2013 (deinstalled September 25, 2012)
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