African Arts Gallery

Embellished with pearl necklaces and various integumentary motifs, these statues were elaborated according to aesthetic criteria making it possible to "capture" the spirit to which the medium or the healer is addressing. This type of sculpture was evaluated according to the effectiveness of the rites staging them. In the majority of cases, these statues served as mediators between the healers and the spirits that took hold of them as part of the logbu cult and are still used today. Mottled kaolin patina, desiccation cracks.
The lagoon populations of eastern Côte d'Ivoire mainly include the Attié, Akyé, Ebrié and Abouré. Their sculptures offer many similarities. These kingdoms had the first commercial establishments offering gold, ivory, slaves and pepper to Westerners. Among the group of Akan , the Attié , "Akye", of Akye-Fo, "the holders of the blade", are divided between those of the North and those of the South. The Attié, palm oil producers, also harvest yams, corn and bananas. Their traditional and festive ceremonies are an opportunity to display a wide variety of objects, some of which are made of gold or covered with gold. (source: "Treasures of Ivory Coast", F.Neyt; "Art from the Ivory Coast" Fisher and Homberger).