Africa in Paris

One of the reasons we went to Paris in September....besides being a great time of year...was for the Tribal Art show...Parcours des Mondes. This was the 13th annual show.  Dealers from all over the world come into the Saint Germain arrondissement and set up in ~60+ galleries to exhibit. Collectors, museum curators, and enthusiasts (like me) come to Paris to see the latest these dealers have to offer. You could tell by watching the people in the galleries that most were serious collectors and there was some big money involved.

I made sure I looked in most of 60+ galleries...although I had to leave Lou in a bar for part of it...he was getting bored.  Some galleries allowed me to take photos and other absolutely did not.  I always asked.  Most were polite about it...a few were put out that I even asked.

The first gallery we looked in before the show even started was Galerie J. Visser.  We talked to the owner...Joris.  He was great. He explained how some of the pieces weather by the lichens that attach to the wood...and let me take pics....and he was good looking :)

This fetish was 4-5 feet tall.  It has hair, horns, beads, and a cheetah loin cloth.  It was fabulous!!  The next time I stopped in this gallery, this piece was gone.  I'm glad I got to see it. 

Shields...I am assuming.  Great designs. 

A Hemba mask from the Congo

Funerary sculptures, carved on the death of a leader, are placed at the entrance to the village for protection.

This was my favorite piece.  A fetish of the Songye people in the Congo.  Up close it seems to portray such pain.  The eyes were just gouges...which may have been how it was made or may have been an artifact.  But it still gave me that impression

Dramatic pieces.  I like the masks.

This was another favorite.  An initiation mask from the Congo.  I especially like the little guy up top with the big boner.

Terra Cotta from Mali

Another terra cotta...I'm thinking Djenne from Mali.

I can't remember what these were or where they are from.  The carving was interesting.

An amazing Songye axe.  The iron work was great.  Looking at this I was trying imaging how they would have forged it.