Power figure

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Power figure

Kongo artistLinkedCulture matchlcp-6feb0b2f456e

Date
early 20th century
Medium
Wood, natural fibers, glass, metal, undetermined materials
Culture
Kongo
Department
Arts of Global Africa
Institution
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Object ID
1854

From the Minneapolis Institute of Art record

It looks like a man being punished or tortured. But to its Kongo makers and users, this figure was a container, empowered by a ritual specialist to house a specific spirit. The figure was consulted like a traditional chief to settle disputes and arrive at binding decisions. Each nail and blade, driven in to energize its powers, represents an issue resolved by its ritual authority. Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa

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Provenance & credit

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Credit line
The Christina N. and Swan J. Turnblad Memorial Fund

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