African Reflections Art From Northeastern Zaire Table of Contents

Exist Dates

1990 June 8 - 1991 January 6

Biographical or Historical Note

abstract

Exhibition. Opened June viii, 1990 and closed January vi, 1991. Located in Department 3, Floor 3 in Gallery 3 at the American Museum of Natural History. African Reflections: Art from Northeastern Zaire, curated by Enid Schildkrout and Curtis A. Keim of the Museum's Department of Anthropology, focused on the fine art history of the region from the time of the first encounters with Europeans, through the colonial period to the present and drew primarily from material collected on the American Museum Congo Expedition (1909-1915).

Summary

African Reflections: Art from Northeastern Zaire, curated past Enid Schildkrout and Curtis A. Keim of the Museum's Section of Anthropology, focused on the art history of the region from the fourth dimension of the get-go encounters with Europeans, through the colonial catamenia to the present and drew primarily from fabric nerveless on the American Museum Congo Expedition (1909-1915). The American Museum Congo Expedition was led by mammalogist and photographer Herbert Lang and ornithologist and painter James P. Chapin. The exhibition traced the origins of the Mangbetu-mode of art from the mid-nineteenth century to the present and explored the cultural and linguistic groups of the expanse including the Mangbetu, Azande, Barambo, and Mbuti. The exhibition was supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the New York Country Quango on the Arts, and the Ambrose Monell Foundation. After closing at the American Museum of Natural History, the exhibition traveled to the National Museum of African Art, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., the Denver Art Museum in Denver, CO, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, GA, and the San Diego Museum of Fine art in San Diego, CA (i).

Members of the Museum'due south Department of Exhibition who worked on the exhibition included exhibit designer Clifford La Fontaine and conservator Judith Levinson (viii).

Related programming included (1; 2):

*Film screening, Spirit of Defiance: The Mangbeti People of Zaire

*Film screening, Witchcraft Amidst the Azande, The Magic Tree: A Story from the Congo

*Picture show screening, Baka: People of the Rainforest

*Family unit Weekend Theater Program, "Azapane and the Peanuts"

*Lecture, "Myths Out of Africa" with "Images of Cardinal Africa" by John Mack

*Lecture, "African Imagery in Western Myths" by Curtis A. Keim

*Lecture, "Myths and Museums" by Enid Schildkrout

*Lecture, "Life as an Efe Pygmy: Myth-conceptions and Myth representation," by David Wilke

*Trip the light fantastic toe functioning, Professor Yaa-lengi and his African Contempo Ring

*Trip the light fantastic toe performance, Malaki Ma-Kongo: Songs and Dance of the Congo

*Symposium, "Tradition, Innovation, and Estimation: Issues in the Collection and Brandish of the Arts of Zaire in Historical Perspective"

*Gallery talks

Highlights including over 450 artifacts from the American Museum Congo Trek (1909-1915) (one; iii; 4; 5):

*Photographs past Herbert Lang documenting the expedition

*A fifteen-infinitesimal film of Zaire fabricated in 1989 particularly for the exhibition

*A life-sized mannequin of King Mbunza, late nineteenth century Mangbetu ruler

*Mangbetu wooden harp with resonator and pangolin scales

*Barambo wooden slit drum

*Mangbetu ivory and wooden harp with okapi fur

*Azande sanza with woman'southward figure

*Azande hat with pikestaff loops and white feathers

*Meje amuse with duiker (pocket-sized antelope) horn, vertebrae and porcupine tails

*Mangbetu chief's contumely pocketknife

This is a condensed summary of the exhibition. For additional information, see Sources and/or Related Resource.

Sources

(1) American Museum of Natural History. African Reflections: Fine art from Northeastern Zaire. (New York: American Museum of Natural History [1990]) [brochure]

(two) American Museum of Natural History. Press Release. "Media Informational: 'The Drum, the How, and the Forest': Films on Central Africa." May 23, 1990. Departmental Records, DR 101. American Museum of Natural History Library.

(iii) American Museum of Natural History. Press Release. "Media Advisory/Photo Opportunity." May 17, 1990. Departmental Records, DR 101. American Museum of Natural History Library.

(4) American Museum of Natural History. Printing Release. "Museum Programs & Exhibitions, July-December 1990." May 31, 1990. Departmental Records, DR 101. American Museum of Natural History Library.

(5) American Museum of Natural History. Press Release. "Slide Sail." May vii, 1990. Departmental Records, DR 101. American Museum of Natural History Library.

(6) American Museum of Natural History. Almanac Report. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1989-1990.

(7) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1990-1991.

(8) "Making the Monarch." New York City Tribune, May 24, 1990.

For more data on this exhibition see:

Lambert, Pam. "Art from the Eye of Africa." Wall Street Journal, June 15, 1990.

Reif, Rita. "Artifacts From Africa Show the Shape of a People." New York Times, July 1, 1990.

Shepard, Richard F. "Out of Blackness Africa, Views of a Varied Life and Culture." New York Times, June 8, 1990.

Chronology

• 1990 June 8 - 1991 Jan half-dozen: Exhibition on view in Gallery 3 at the American Museum of Natural History
• 1991 March 5 - 1992 January 12: Exhibition on at the National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.
• 1992 March 14 - 1992 June 14: Exhibition on view at The Denver Fine art Museum, Denver, CO
• 1993 April half dozen - 1993 July 4: Exhibition on view at the Loftier Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA
• 1993 September 11 - 1993 October 24: Exhibition on view at the San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego, CA

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Related Corporate, Personal, and Family Names

Ambrose Monell Foundation
Provided funding for exhibition (one)

American Museum Congo Trek (1909-1915)
Related expedition, referred to as Lang-Chapin Expedition (1909-1915) in documentation (five)

American Museum of Natural History. Section of Anthropology.
Related department (vi, p. 7)

American Museum of Natural History. Department of Exhibition.
Installed exhibition (vii, p. 45)

American Museum of Natural History. Department of Library Services.
Loaned cloth for exhibition (six, p. 52-53)

American Museum of Natural History. Gallery iii.
Location of exhibition 1990 June 8 – 1991 Jan 6 (i)

Chapin, James Paul 1889-1964
Collected material on American Museum Congo Expedition (1909-1915) (i)

Denver Art Museum
Institutional partner; location of exhibition 1992 March 14 – 1992 June 14 (1)

High Museum of Art
Institutional partner; location of exhibition 1993 April 6 – 1993 July 4 (1)

Keim, Curtis A.
Curator of exhibition; inquiry associate in Museum Department of Anthropology (six, p. 60)

La Fontaine, Clifford
Exhibit designer, Museum's Department of Exhibition and Graphics (8)

Lang, Herbert 1879-1957
Collected material on American Museum Congo Trek (1909-1915); photographs featured in exhibition (ane)

Levinson, Judith
Conservator, prepared materials for exhibition Museum's Department of Exhibition and Graphics (8)

Mack, John
Related lecture, "Images of Central Africa"(one)

Malaki Ma-Kongo
Related performance (1)

National Endowment for the Humanities
Provided funding for exhibition (1)

National Museum of African Fine art (U.S.)
Institutional partner; location of exhibition 1991 March 5 – 1992 January 12 (ane)

New York State Council on the Arts
Provided funding for exhibition (ane)

Professor Yaa-lengi and his African Contempo Ring
Related performance (ane)

San Diego Museum of Art
Institutional partner; location of exhibition 1993 September xi – 1993 October 24 (1)

Schildkrout, Enid
Curator of exhibition; curator in Museum Department of Anthropology (6, p. 60)

Wilke, David
Related lecture "Life as an Efe Pygmy: Myth-conceptions and Myth representation" (i)

Related Resources

subjectOf

African Reflections, 1990. African reflections : fine art from northeastern Zaire, EXH.003 L-1762. American Museum of Natural History Library Special Collections.

subjectOf

African Reflections, 1990. African reflections : art from northeastern Zaire, EXH.003 L-1763. American Museum of Natural History Library Special Collections.

African reflections II: king's orchestra, 1990. African reflections : fine art from northeastern Zaire, EXH.003 AV-194. American Museum of Natural History Library Special Collections.

subjectOf

African Reflections #3, 1990. African reflections : fine art from northeastern Zaire, EXH.003 AV-089. American Museum of Natural History Library Special Collections.

subjectOf

African reflections : art from northeastern Zaire. American Museum of Natural History Library Special Collections

subjectOf

African reflections : art from northeastern Zaire / by Enid Schildkrout and Curtis A. Keim ; with contributions by Didier Demolin, John Mack, Thomas Ross Miller, Jan Vansina ; [colour photographs past Lynton Gardiner]
Engagement of resource: 1990

subjectOf

African reflections: introduction section, 1990. African reflections : art from northeastern Zaire, EXH.003 AV-180. American Museum of Natural History Library Special Collections.

subjectOf

African Reflections: Art from Northeastern Zaire exhibition photographic slides. American Museum of Natural History Library Special Collections.

subjectOf

African Reflections book photographic slides. American Museum of Natural History Library Special Collections.

American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1989-1990: 3, 7, nine, 49, 52-53, 60, 64, 68.

American Museum of Natural History. Annual Written report. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1990-1991: 2, eight, 9, 41, 43, 45-46, 58-59, 64-66.

American Museum of Natural History. Annual Study. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1991-1992: thirteen-xiv.

American Museum of Natural History almanac reports, 1902-2001.
"Annual Report Department of Anthropology July 1, 1986 – June xxx, 1987.": p. 21, 32 [1987]; "Annual Report Department of Anthropology July ane, 1987 – June 30, 1988.": p. 21, 32 [1988]; "Annual Report Department of Anthropology July 1, 1989 – June 30, 1990.". [1990] "Annual Report Department of Anthropology July 1, 1990 – June thirty, 1991.": 4, 6. [1991].

American Museum of Natural History photographic drawers
Repository: AMNH Special Collections [Black and white contact sheets of exhibition on view]

American Museum of Natural History press releases, 1933-1990s.
"Slide Sheet." May 7, 1990; "Media Advisory/Photo Opportunity." May 17, 1990; "Media Advisory: 'The Drum, the How, and the Wood': Films on Central Africa." May 23, 1990; "Museum Programs & Exhibitions, July-Dec 1990." May 31, 1990; "Holiday Gifts Reverberate Nature, Scientific discipline and Cultures of the World." September 18, 1990; "Museum Offers Dinner/Theater Packet on Fri and Saturday Evenings." June 27, 1990; "Museum Programs & Exhibitions, August 1990." July 6, 1990; "Museum Programs & Exhibitions, September 1990." Baronial 1, 1990; "Museum Programs & Exhibitions, October 1990." [1990]; "Performances and Programs Offered During October for American Museum of Natural History'southward Africa Month." September 10, 1990.

[American Museum of Natural History temporary exhibitions posters] [poster]
Appointment of resources: [1975]-[2009]

American Museum of Natural History vertical files
Repository: AMNH Special Collections [Press binder with letters to teachers, flyers, instructions for self-guided tour; brochures, symposium and film flyers, news articles, May and June 1990 issues of Rotunda, May/June issue of Grapevine, press release, photocopy of folio from 1989-1990 Museum Annual report, memo,]

Collecting in the Congo : the American Museum of Natural History Congo Expedition, 1909-1915 / [Enid Schildkrout].
Date of resource: north.d.

Exhibition Tape Drove
Date of resources: n.d.

Grapevine.
"'African Reflections' Wins Awards." (May/June 1990)

subjectOf

Mangbetu In the Modern World, 1989. African reflections : fine art from northeastern Zaire, EXH.003 AV-132. American Museum of Natural History Library Special Collections.

Rotunda.
"African Reflections: Art from Northeastern Zaire." (May 1990); "African Reflections: Art from Northeastern Zaire." (June 1990)

subjectOf

Spirit of disobedience - the Mangebetu people of Zaire, 1989. African reflections : art from northeastern Zaire, EXH.003 L-0242. American Museum of Natural History Library Special Collections.

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