A curatorial partnership between William King Museum of Art curator, Leila Cartier, and VMFA’s Curator of African Art, Richard Woodward, has resulted in an exhibition that brings together art from the ancient empire of Mali, Akan kingdoms of Ghana, and the Kuba kingdom in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. One of several in the works, this Statewide project has developed from a seed of an idea into an exhibition that will travel to three VMFA Statewide Partner museums.

From Abingdon in far southwest Virginia to Roanoke in the Blue Ridge Mountains to Martinsville in south central Virginia, visitors from around the Commonwealth will have the opportunity to see African objects from the VMFA collection first-hand. Included in the exhibition are elements of royal regalia, dozens of goldweights – small figures and objects that often communicate proverbs and are used to weigh out gold dust – masks and other ceremonial objects, sculptures, and three spectacular Kente Cloths.


 

Exhibition Venues

March 28 – July 12, 2015
William King Museum of Art, Abingdon

September 26, 2015 – January 3, 2016
Taubman Museum of Art, Roanoke 

January 16 – March 6, 2016
Piedmont Arts, Martinsville