Shield (reverse), Tanala people; Madagascar
Wood, animal hide; H. 20 1/4"
This is the back of a shield that
has been attributed to the Bakwele people. The front
of the shield is simple and is covered
with animal skin. We may observe this object on
a number of different levels: it is first and foremost
a utilitarian object, and the interior, though carefully
designed, was not intended as art by the people
who created it. However, out of context we see the
composition as beautifully balanced shapes, not
unlike modern sculpture. The object in this case
becomes art only when the viewer interprets it as
such. Who determines "what is art?" Here
the borderline between art and ethnography blurs
to such a degree that contextualization, rather
than helping us understand the object, reduces the
importance and interest in the piece to mere utility.
This is a striking reminder that the relationship
between the viewer and the object is not only arbitrary
in many ways but is also fragile at best. Shields
of this type have been traditionally attributed
to the Bakwele of Congo (Brazzaville) however the
attribution of an example form the Barbier-Muller
collection leads to a reassessment of the place
of origin of this shield.
