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Catalog Data

Maker:
Aimé Mpane, born 1968, Democratic Republic of the Congo  Search this
Medium:
Mixed media installation
Dimensions:
Installed AiD: 335.3 x 530.9 x 365.8 cm (132 x 209 x 144 in.)
Type:
Installation
Geography:
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Date:
2005
Label Text:
When European powers divided the African continent into colonies in 1885, Congo became the personal property of Belgium's King Leopold. Congo's colonial legacy remains a central theme in Aimé Mpane's work. The shadow of a transparent figure, made completely of matchsticks, looms above the wooden silhouettes of those who have fallen due to this history. Shoes rest atop the wood: after rebels or gangs attack a community, sometimes all that remains is shoes. Mpane chose to work with matchsticks because of their flammable nature and the constructive, useful properties of wood. The heads of 4,652 matchsticks were copiously removed before Mpane carefully began to assemble this piece. He inflated a balloon to achieve the desired curves and used a blow dryer to control the flow of hot and cool air as he manipulated the glue. This work was first exhibited at the 2006 international arts biennial Dak'Art, where it received the coveted Fondation Jean-Paul Blachère prize.
Description:
Life-size figure of approximately 4,652 matchsticks stands over the wood silhouettes of a woman, child and his own shadow which terminates in a wooden cross marked with the message, "Congo… 1885." Behind the figure, a beam of light shines to fill the facing wall with a looming shadow.
Exhibition History:
Shaping Power: Luba Masterworks from the Royal Museum for Central Africa, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, July 7, 2013-May 5, 2014
Artists in Dialogue: António Ole and Aimé Mpane, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., February 4-August 2, 2009
Published References:
Freyer, Bryna M. and Christine Mullen Kreamer. 2010. "The Collection of the National Museum of African Art Smithsonian Institution." Sculpture Review LIX (1), p. 27.
Milbourne, Karen E. 2009. Artists in Dialogue: António Ole, Aimé Mpane. Washington, D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, pp. 24-25.
Content Statement:
As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
Image Requests:
High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
Topic:
mother and child  Search this
cross  Search this
male  Search this
shoe  Search this
Credit Line:
Museum purchase
Object number:
2009-10-1
Restrictions & Rights:
Usage conditions apply
Copyright:
(c) 2005 Aimé Mpane
See more items in:
National Museum of African Art Collection
Data Source:
National Museum of African Art
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys709778d4d-a83e-4f47-83a5-20d51d6d7092
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmafa_2009-10-1