KUYU
KUYU
Divinity
From Ayawa, near Dolisie (Congo). 20th century.Height: 118 cm.An IR spectroscopy dating certificate (G. Matthaes patent) from the Museo d’Arte e Scienza, Milan, no. 6AF-3694, indicates the date 1947 ± 8 years.Hardwood with a light brown patina, clay ochre and red padouk powder.The head is crowned with two horns, symbolising elephant tusks, a sign of prestige amongst the Kuyu people. The neck is coiled with a python, a primordial Kuyu ancestor and a symbol of eternity: through its regular shedding, the animal’s contents become its container, ad infinitum. The genitals feature a symbolic protrusion signifying power. The arms and hands are pressed against the body as a sign of authority and command. The body bears numerous scarifications (concentric circles evoking infinity, concentric semicircles, lozenges symbolising the female sex as the source of all human life, etc.).
KUYU
Divinity
From Ayawa, near Dolisie (Congo). 20th century.Height: 118 cm.An IR spectroscopy dating certificate (G. Matthaes patent) from the Museo d’Arte e Scienza, Milan, no. 6AF-3694, indicates the date 1947 ± 8 years.Hardwood with a light brown patina, clay ochre and red padouk powder.The head is crowned with two horns, symbolising elephant tusks, a sign of prestige amongst the Kuyu people. The neck is coiled with a python, a primordial Kuyu ancestor and a symbol of eternity: through its regular shedding, the animal’s contents become its container, ad infinitum. The genitals feature a symbolic protrusion signifying power. The arms and hands are pressed against the body as a sign of authority and command. The body bears numerous scarifications (concentric circles evoking infinity, concentric semicircles, lozenges symbolising the female sex as the source of all human life, etc.).
