ClassificationsAfrican Art

Colonial Figure Puppet

Place CreatedNigeria, Africa

CultureIbibio, Annang

Datemid 20th Century

MediumWood, paint

Credit LineEx coll. William S. Arnett

Dimensions7 7/8 x 27 9/16 x 7 1/16 in. (20 x 70 x 18 cm)

Object number1994.004.110

Label TextThis figure, representing a British colonial officer, is not a mask but a puppet used by members of the Anang Ibibio men's Ekon drama society in Nigeria. Every seven years, a spectacular, multimedia Ekon performance took place in the village square for an audience of over one thousand men, women, and children. Although the Ekon organization was considered to be sacred, the viewing of performances was not restricted to initiated members. Nevertheless, the puppeteer's identity was protected because Ekon plays and dances featured biting satirical commentary, including the critique of authority figures in the community.

During the period of British colonial rule in Nigeria (ca. 1890s to 1960) officers represented by puppets such as this one were among those subject to ridicule. The facial features and uniform of this colonial figure are realistically rendered, with particular care given to the details of boots, belt, and watch, allowing the audience to easily recognize the individual under scrutiny. Ekon puppet plays were intended to be highly entertaining, yet their public performance context also enabled the society to exert a broad measure of social control and political agency.
Exhibition HistoryArt of Nigeria from the William S. Arnett Collection, Michael C. Carlos Museum, October 15, 1994 - January 2, 1995
The Art of Collecting: Recent Acquisitions at the Michael C. Carlos Museum, Michael C. Carlos Museum, November 8, 1997 - January 4, 1998
MCCM Permanent Collection Installation, November 19, 2007 - December 1, 2014
MCCM Permanent Collection Installation, August 6, 2016 - Present

ProvenanceEx coll. William S. Arnett (1939-2020), Atlanta, Georgia.

Status

On view

Collections