Sculpture Exhibit

Last Thursday I went to the National Museum of Anthropology in Chapultepec Park to see a special exhibit. 

The exhibit was a collaboration between the National Museum of Anthropology and the Musée du Quai Branley in Paris and presents pieces of sculpture from indigenous cultures of Mexico, Africa and Oceania.

The Quay Branley Museum is famous for its collection of indigenous art from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas.  

Here are a few of the pieces in the exhibit...

This wooden statue from Papua New Guinea was used to protect the home from illness and evil spirits.

This sculpture of an adolescent from the Huastec culture of eastern Mexico.  On the back is a carving of the young man's father to designate his noble lineage.

This Neolithic carving dates from around 5000 B.C. and was found in the Sahara Desert of Algeria.

This "tiki" comes from the Marquesa Islands of French Polynesia.  "Tikis" were placed in sacred places and were representations of the first man.

The rain god Cocijo is portrayed on this funerary urn from the Zapotec culture of Oaxaca, Mexico.

This ceramic sculpture was made by a tribe in Nigeria which places statues such as this on top of their burial mounds.

This ceramic figure, found in central Mexico, is more than 2000 years old.  It shows very strong influence from the Olmec culture which flourished at that time along the gulf coast.

This wooden sculpture of a woman was made in the early 20th century in the Ivory Coast.

This wooden carving of a goddess dates from the era of the Aztecs and was found in a cave near the volcano Nevado de Toluca.

This wooden carving with both male and female characteristics comes from the Philippines and represents the rice gods.

 

This wooden throne belonged to an early 20th century tribal king in Cameroun.

 

This statue was found in a burial near the Pyramid of the Moon at Teotihuacan, north of Mexico City.  It is unique for its mosaic work with over 300 pieces of stone.

One of the masterpieces of the Olmec culture, the oldest civilization of Mexico, is this sculpture which is known as "The Wrestler".  Most likely the subject is not a wrestler, but this statue done more than 3000 years ago is a superb portrait of the human anatomy.

The exhibition runs through April and is free of charge.