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Female Twin Figure

Yoruba

Artwork Details

Female Twin Figure
Yoruba
wood
10 7/8 x 3 x 2 3/4 in. (27.62 x 8.26 x 7.14 cm);11 x 3 11/16 x 3 3/8 in. (29.37 x 9.37 x 8.57 cm)
Gift and partial purchase from the estate of Kurt Delbanco in honor of Nicholas Delbanco
2017/1.666

Description

Subject Matter:

The figures in this case were all made, owned, and  cared for by citizens of nations affected by a U.S. ban  on travelers from countries in the Middle East and  Northern Africa enacted in 2017. Nigeria, Eritrea,  Tanzania, and Sudan were added to the list in 2020,  making it nearly impossible for citizens from these  nations to come to the United States.  

While the travel ban was revoked in 2021, the fact  remains that it is often easier for objects to travel than  it is for the artists who made them, or the communities  

who use them, to cross those same borders. We present  this display case to remind our visitors of these  discrepancies in mobility, and how such restrictions  limit who can enjoy, and who can interpret, works of  African art in museums in the Global North.

Physical Description:

Standing wood figure of a woman with hands at side, staring directly ahead. Hair is pilled on the top of the head.

Usage Rights:

If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.