Beauty and Everyday Life
13 May - 16 September 2019
A close look at the loom pulleys of West Africa which reveal the vital role of beauty in everyday life.
Loom pulleys are a structural part of the horizontal looms used in various regions of West Africa. These pulleys stand out because on their upper parts they are carved with anthropomorphic, zoomorphic or hybrid motifs, which are also reproduced in ritual masks and sculptures.
The decorative motifs inspire the work of the weavers and their beauty gives them prestige. They always work in public and the delicate work of the woodcarver who created these pulleys can be admired. Beauty and the symbolic nature that impregnates the life of these everyday objects transcends their simple utilitarian function.
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