This carved post may have once supported a toguna, an important structure around which a Dogon village was built. Said to reproduce the original shelter where eight primordial ancestors gathered, a toguna is characterized by its low-lying stature and monumental wood posts supporting a thick roof of millet stalks. Carved to express a particular spirit, the posts are sourced from the kile tree, which when cut and split creates a natural fork to support the roof beams. At a natural narrowing of the timber, the sculptor of this post called forth its spirit with a carving of small round head. We’re captivated by the assimilation of forms within this animated sculpture - the textural disintegration of the portion once submerged below ground, the Minimalist sweep of its stature, and the gentle benevolence of the spirit’s face.
Category
Early 20th Century Tanzanian Abstract Sculptures