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Yoruba people Nigeria (Western Africa) TWIN (IBEJI) FIGURES, 20th century Wood, pigment Height 10 1/4 inches Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Bolling, Jr., 1975.63a-b
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The Yoruba is a very large region in Africa. It encompasses any number of different
peoples that are called the Yoruba. And they are actually some of the most art-producing
people in sub-Sahara and Africa. Now that's a very interesting point because the objects
that they create actually are used in their many, many rituals. What's interesting about
these ibeji figures is that they actually represent twins. In
Africa, twins are thought to share a single soul, so that if one twin dies a sculpture will be
made that represents that twin, and that sculpture will then be cared for by the mother.
And in fact, all of the love and nurturing that would have been given the living child is
actually given to the sculpture. Most African sculptures are carved of wood with a knife or
other tools. They are usually then given beautiful hand-rubbed finishes, which really are
not thought of in the sense that we finish sculpture, but they're finishes that occur as a
result of rubbing the figure with oils or pigments that are part of the ritual of the caring for
the sculpture, giving the sculpture. the sense of human touch and taking from it the power
of the image as well as kind of giving back that human reverence.
Dominique H. Vasseur
