The objects we create, own, and use tell much about who we are and what we believe. What are they made of? Who makes them? What are they used for? The materials that comprise these objects provide insight into and reflect upon our identities.

In Africa, the materials that are used to make objects of daily and ritual like are profoundly significant. Material is meaning. The choice of materials determines the social, economic, and religious status of the objects themselves, their owners, and the artists who create them.

To understand African art, then, we need to examine the different layers of meaning inherent in the material of each object. Material Differences takes the visitor on a journey that reveals the tradition, rituals, and spiritual powers intrinsic to the material used to create the works of art. This innovative approach to viewing art offers a new vantage point from which to advance the understanding of African art and culture.

View photographs of the gallery and take a virtual tour of the Material Differences exhibition which was on view April 3 through May 22, 2004.

      
      
VIEW THE WORKS OF ART

Throughout Material Differences over 100 magnificent artworks exemplify
the materials that comprise them.
To view the works of art, select one of the four exhibition sections 
below to open the slideshow.
      
Revealing Forms through Subtraction
        Ivory
        Wood
        Stone
      
Transforming through Fire
        Ceramic
        Copper Alloys
        Gold
        Iron
      
The Ephemeral and 'Un-transportable'
      
Enhancing Power through the Accumulation of Materials